Hong Kong protests: security chief accused of hampering efforts to de-escalate Polytechnic University stand-off with remarks that all inside will be arrested
- Secretary for Security John Lee later softens stance and says those under 18 will not be arrested for time being
- With rising number of minors arrested since civil unrest began, parents and educators have implored government to show leniency to young
Hong Kong’s security chief sparked uproar on Wednesday by declaring that all protesters who left a besieged university would be arrested, drawing a sharp rebuke from parents and educators who accused him of hindering their attempts to de-escalate the stand-off.
With a rising number of students being arrested, including many minors, since the protests first began in June, parents, principals and educators have urged the government to show leniency when handling cases considering the future of many young lives was at stake.
Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu later softened his stance and said those under the age of 18 who left the campus would not be arrested for the time being, but that police would reserve the right to take follow-up action.
Nearly 900 people had surrendered to police as of Wednesday morning, around 300 of them under 18, Lee said. Police in the evening said the figure had grown further to 1,000 with another 700 arrested.
Police have surrounded the Polytechnic University campus in Hung Hom since Sunday evening, following a day of extremely violent clashes which the force termed as a riot.
“We will arrest them all for rioting. Of course, police will investigate after arrest,” Lee told reporters on Wednesday morning, referring to offences that could result in a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail.