Hong Kong protests: police commander in charge of Polytechnic University siege hits out at accusations of ‘humanitarian crisis’

Allowing people to walk free after trashing a university and disrupting major roads would be crisis for city’s rule of law, Cheuk Hau-yip says

Kowloon West regional commander describes helping minors escape one of the most meaningful acts of the ‘crazy days’ he experienced

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Students trapped inside Polytechnic University ask for help. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 10:00am, 18 Dec 2019Updated: 12:04pm, 19 Dec 2019

An outgoing police commander who oversaw a 13-day siege at a Hong Kong university said on Tuesday no one inside suffered from a “humanitarian crisis”, as alleged by anti-government protesters, and instead accused radicals of causing a crisis for the city’s rule of law.

Cheuk Hau-yip was the Kowloon West regional commander in charge of the long-drawn-out battle with anti-government protesters inside Polytechnic University in Hung Hom, which began on November 17. He said the weapons seized from inside the campus were the most “frenziedly designed” he had ever seen in his 37 years of service.

“Did anyone want to leave the premises which we disallowed? No,” Cheuk said.

“Did anyone need medical attention which we refused? No.

“If they wanted to walk out without consequence, then it has nothing to do with humanity but the rule of law,” he said, rebutting claims police trapped protesters for almost two weeks and denied them basic supplies.

Cheuk Hau-yip said PolyU was no humanitarian crisis. Photo: Christy Leung