A heavily-fortified university campus in Hong Kong has been stormed by police with some declaring it a “war zone”.
Police stormed the Hong Kong Polytechnic University before dawn on Monday where anti-government protesters had barricaded themselves behind sophisticated and elaborate walls.
They had been fighting back using catapults, petrol bombs and bows and arrows — one of which landed in the leg of a police officer, reports news.com.au.
The ABC’s China correspondent, Bill Birtles, is in the thick of it and says “all hell is breaking loose”.
The battle of Poly U, #HongKong. pic.twitter.com/JY8myUA48h
— Bill Birtles (@billbirtles) November 17, 2019
In a series of tweets from the ground, Birtles wrote that police had blocked all roads and exits around the university and arrested those who were trying to administer first aid.
“The saddest photo of the night,” he wrote alongside a picture of volunteers with their wrists tied together behind their backs.
The saddest photo of the night. First aid volunteers. We heard about 50 in total were arrested. I’ve come across a few fake journos in high vis at protests… but fake first aiders? Mass arrests for deterrence #HongKong pic.twitter.com/RH4kC1uIO6
— Bill Birtles (@billbirtles) November 17, 2019
Credit: NAN