Hong Kong protesters still in siege at campus

ABOUT 100 anti-government protesters remain holed up at a Hong Kong university as a police siege of the campus entered its third day. City leader Carrie Lam said 600 people had left the Hong Kong Polytechnic campus, including 200 who are under 18.

Police have surrounded the university and are arresting anyone who leaves. Groups of protesters made several attempts to escape on Monday, including sliding down hoses to waiting motorcycles, but it was not clear if they evaded arrest. Ms Lam said those under 18 would not be immediately arrested but could face charges later. She said the other 400 who have left have been arrested.

“We will use whatever means to continue to persuade and arrange for these remaining protesters to leave the campus as soon as possible so that this whole operation could end in a peaceful manner,” she said after a weekly meeting with advisers.

After five months, the Hong Kong protest movement has steadily intensified as local and Beijing authorities harden their positions and refuse to make concessions. Universities became the latest battleground last week, as protesters occupied several campuses, using petrol bombs and bows and arrows to fend off riot police backed by armoured cars and water cannon. Those at Polytechnic are the last holdouts.

China, which took control of the former British colony in 1997 promising to let it retain considerable autonomy, flexed its muscles, sending troops outside their barracks over the weekend to help clean up debris strewn by protesters to block streets.

China’s ambassador to Britain accused the UK and the US of meddling in the country’s internal affairs and warned that the Chinese government “will not sit on our hands” if the situation in Hong Kong “becomes uncontrollable”.