Leading one body of marchers - just minutes after Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen had briefed the Legislative Council on the proposals - to the Central Government Offices were legislators from the Democratic and Civic parties, as well as independents.

And in a sign of who they held responsible for the slow progress on democratic reforms, League of Social Democrats members and supporters marched to Government House - the residence of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen.

The two protests were just the start of what the pan-democrats are promising will be a series of demonstrations and marches in the next few weeks over what they say is the lack of a roadmap and timetable for universal suffrage.

Next up is a protest planned for Sunday between noon and 1:30 pm.

But, in a sign there are differences among the pan-democrats, the two main parties in the camp would not commit its legislators to the mass resignation plan forwarded by the League of Social Democrats to force a de-facto referendum on universal suffrage.

In another sign, a threatened Legco walkout did not materialize, with most democrats - some with yellow ribbons tied to their arms - sticking to their seats.

The sole exception was "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-Hung who, an uneasy hour into the briefing, attempted to throw a paper microwave oven at Tang.

A security guard parried the missile and Leung failed to grab it for a second throw. As he was being thrown out of the chamber, Leung made the most of it, shouting: "I've been suppressing my anger for a long time."

His LSD colleagues, Raymond Wong Yuk-man and Albert Chan Wai- yip, were calmer.

Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said his legislators and members will meet in the next two days to plan their next move.

He also said a December 13 meeting has already been slated to discuss the LSD's resignation plan. Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee said she is both angered and disappointed by the reform plans, adding the party had offered to negotiate certain proposals with the government but their offer was rejected. Eu said the party will discuss further steps with other pan-democrats.

Her colleague, Alan Leong Kah-kit, said the new proposals are worse than the 2005 package as the number of district councillors to be added to the Election Committee has been trimmed back from 500 to just 100.

This will make it less likely for pan- democratic candidates to get nominated, he said.

Former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang said she is deeply disappointed at the lack of substance to the proposals. "The Hong Kong public is now left like someone pedaling a bicycle with no chain: the pedals spin round, but no forward progress is made."