Massive fires raged at the campus of Hong Kong Polytech University, where anti-government protesters have holed up, pelting petrol bombs and fearing an imminent riot police raid amid clashes with authorities.
The campus turned into a battleground between the rioters hurling Molotov cocktails and rocks, and police deploying tear gas and water cannon, as videos from the scene early Monday morning show an inferno rising near the staircase to the building.
Hundreds of protesters, hiding inside the building set the entrance on fire, either on purpose or due to ‘mismanagement’ of petrol bombs, when a police raid seemed imminent.
However, after sealing the campus off to prevent ‘reinforcements’ from reaching the area, and detaining a number of protesters, authorities apparently chose not to storm the building.
The flare-up comes after two days of standoff during which protesters threw petrol bombs, stones and javelins – and even shot arrows at police.
This video went viral on China's internet. HK looks like a battlefield tonight. Rioters attacked armored police vehicle with petrol bombs, causing it to catch fire.But police still exercise restraint. Police should be permitted to fire live rounds in this case to counter rioters. pic.twitter.com/dD9Qxl1AUf
Over the weekend, protesters attacked a group of volunteers who tried to help authorities clear the roadblocks and debris outside the PolyU. A man and a woman were hospitalized with head injuries as a result.
The PolyU campus became one of the recent hotspots of riots in Hong Kong that started with demonstrations against an extradition law in March. Although the legislation was scrapped, protests went on with violent groups among protesters vandalizing property and attacking citizens who support the government.
