( CNN ) -- Hundreds of student protesters barricaded inside Taiwan 's Legislature for the past four days say they are disappointed by the government 's failure to respond to their ultimatum Friday . The demonstrators , mostly university students , are protesting against the ruling party 's push for a trade pact with China , which they claim will hurt the island . The movement has been dubbed the `` Sunflower Revolution '' by Taiwanese media . The group leading the protest -- The Coalition of Student and Civic Groups against the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement -- announced the ultimatum on Thursday , demanding that President Ma Ying-jeou withdraw the controversial trade agreement and issue an apology by noon Friday . As the deadline passed , no direct response from Ma was given , and student protesters appeared on Taiwanese television expressing their disappointment . They said they would continue to occupy Legislature and would announce their next move at a press conference to be held at 6 p.m. local time ( E.T . 6 a.m. ) Friday . The protesters entered the main assembly hall inside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on Tuesday night and blocked the entrances with chairs , according to images and accounts filed from the scene with CNN iReport . Police responded but had not dispersed the protesters , who also filled the streets around the Legislature in the center of Taipei . By March 19 , Taiwan 's state news agency reported that 38 police officers were injured when more than 400 protesters took over the Legislature . Four protesters were arrested in two unsuccessful attempts to evict them , the news agency reported . Police said there were more than 2,000 protesters both inside and outside the building , with a equal number of officers on the scene . `` We do not want to clash with the police , '' said protester and iReporter Shanny Chang , 19 . `` We just have to let the government know that never try to fool the people . '' One CNN iReporter said that after the protesters took over , hundreds gathered outside the building , with some making speeches and singing songs . In a video , a young woman sings Bob Dylan 's song `` The Times They are a-Changin ' , '' which many associate with the protest spirit of the 1960s . `` She played the Dylan song because she thinks the lyrics match the ongoing events happening in Taiwan , '' said iReporter George Chang , 24 , who shot the video . `` Bob Dylan is n't really that popular in Taiwan , especially not to the 8th grade generation , what Taiwanese call children born after 1991 , but to the older generations I think he is n't a stranger to them . '' The trade pact was signed last year in Shanghai to ease investment and trade between the two longtime adversaries , mainland China and Taiwan . But opponents have voiced concerns that not only will Taiwan 's economy be hurt as businesses and investments flow to China , but the island 's democratic system could be undermined by closer ties with the mainland . `` The trade agreement was not supervised by the people of Taiwan , and benefits only big companies and harnesses our jobs , '' Chang wrote . `` But I do agree we need to open Taiwan to the world , even China too . But NOT this way , not by signing an agreement that is not fair to us and was negotiated by people who have no profession in these territories . We must rewrite the agreement and make it work for the both of us , towards a peaceful future between the strait of Taiwan . '' An iReporter identified as kwarrior , an Asian-American living in Taiwan , wrote that the government 's handling of the trade agreement `` was unconstitutional and a blatant violation of the people 's rights . ... I care deeply because my parents are Taiwanese and they always loved their nation like no other . I am personally affected because I value the rights of the people to voice and make changes in a democratic country . '' In a statement , Amnesty International urged security forces to show restraint . `` The situation is clearly tense . ... While police have a duty to maintain order and to protect the safety of the public , the response must only be proportionate to the threat . Force should only be used as a last resort . The authorities must ensure the rights of all those protesting are upheld and respected , '' said Roseann Rife , the group 's East Asia research director . Last month , Taiwan and China held their highest-level talks in more than six decades , marking the first government-to-government contact since the pair 's acrimonious split in 1949 . Wang Yu-chi of Taiwan 's Mainland Affairs Council , which oversees the island 's China policy , met with his mainland counterpart , Zhang Zhijun of China 's Taiwan Affairs Office . After the meeting , China 's state news agency Xinhua said the two sides had agreed to open a regular communication channel . `` We should both be resolute to not let cross-strait relations suffer any more twists and turns and never let ( the relationship ) go backward , '' Zhang was quoted as saying . Previous contact between the two sides has been conducted through semi-official foundations or through political parties , not by government ministers acting in their official capacities . Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province and has never ruled out the use of force to achieve reunification . Taiwan also calls itself the Republic of China . Relations between the two sides have improved since Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou came to power in 2008 . On Wednesday , Ma called for the passage of the trade pact . CNN 's Rachel Rodriguez , Maggie Blaha and Daphne Sashin contributed to this report .
Student protesters ' ultimatum to Taiwan 's government passes without a response . The protesters have occupied Taiwan 's Legislature for four days to protest a trade pact . Comment: