Violence intensifies as protests continue in Hong Kong

The anti-government protests in Hong Kong intensified on Wednesday following clashes with the police overnight and a violent standoff at a top university campus here.

As of Wednesday mid-morning, scores of students were on the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) campus, many armed with petrol bombs, bows and other impromptu weapons as more supplies were brought to the campus, reported CNN.

Earlier on Tuesday, hundreds of black-clad demonstrators, many of them students, tried to block riot police from entering the university campus. Under a barrage of constant tear gas, anti-government demonstrators hurled bricks and petrol bombs at the police.

"Around 11.30 pm, police had "reached a consensus in search for a peaceful solution," but students spoiling it by throwing bricks, petrol bombs, launched arrows and even fired a signal flare at Police officers," police said.

 

They added, "Such violence has reached a deadly level, posing a serious threat to Police officers and everyone at the scene. The rioters threw hard objects and petrol bombs onto Tolo Highway, endangering road users' safety."

Earlier the day, the police, local residents and government workers attempted to clear barricades and debris in areas include Kowloon Tong and Mong Kok where fiery clashes between police and the protestors lasted till 3 am.

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam called out "aggressive rioters" who she said were trying to disrupt the city's transport networks. "They want to paralyze Hong Kong, which is a selfish act," CNN quoted Lam as saying.

Protests continued across the city as the demonstrators called for strikes and disruption to several metro stations for the third consecutive day, throwing normal life out of gear.

Earlier on Tuesday, at least 30 protestors suffered injuries after riot police fired sponge grenade and gas canister at Chinese University in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. In total, 287 people were arrested on Monday, including 187 students.

The protests in the city escalated over the death of Chow Tsz-lok, a computer sciences student at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Chow had suffered a severe head injury in a parking garage close to the scene of protests.