Hong Kong protests: parents searching for children among PolyU radical protesters get caught in police lockdown
- Two fathers say they found their teenage sons, but could not get away from campus
- Hundreds of radicals and supporters hold out overnight before surrendering on Tuesday
The siege of Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University by police trapped not only radical protesters, but also social workers, first-aid volunteers and parents who said they were there to get their children out.
John, 58, stood with his son near the main entrance of the university in Hung Hom on Monday night, hoping to find a way out, after their earlier getaway attempt failed.
Another father, Li, 45, mulled his next move after his plan to take his teenage son home also fell flat.
It is not known how the fathers and their sons fared on Tuesday, when only a few dozen people were believed to be still inside the campus, a stark contrast to the scenes of violent clashes between police and hundreds of masked radicals earlier.
A police lockdown led to hundreds eventually leaving overnight on Monday and on Tuesday. As of 3pm on Tuesday, police said, about 1,100 people from the campus and nearby had been arrested or, if they were minors, had their particulars registered before they were allowed to go home.
About 600 left voluntarily, including 200 minors. The adults included 47 PolyU teaching and administrative staff.
