Hong Kong protests: police chief says no deadline for resolving Polytechnic University crisis
- In first public comments on PolyU stand-off, new police commissioner sets out exemptions for immediate arrest, calls for peaceful conclusion
- At least eight believed to have left campus overnight following pleas from ‘first-aiders’ but others refuse to go, fearing police trap
Hong Kong’s new police chief said on Friday there was no deadline for dealing with protesters barricaded inside Polytechnic University, as he urged them to come out so the crisis could be resolved peacefully.
Dozens of radicals were still believed to be holed up on the Hung Hom campus on Friday as the stand-off with police entered its sixth day.
In his first public comment on the issue since taking charge of the 31,000-strong force, Chris Tang highlighted the importance of a peaceful resolution as he warned the campus was becoming increasingly dangerous.
He also promised not to arrest minors or those with immediate medical needs on the spot. Those who were over 18 would be arrested straight away, he added. The chief said the force reserved the right to arrest underage protesters later.