Hong Kong protests: tension returns to city after peaceful Saturday with stand-off in Hung Hom
- After five straight days of traffic disruption and chaos, city had enjoyed a relatively calm Saturday but familiar scenes return by night
- Petrol bombs thrown from the roof of Polytechnic University while riot police respond with rounds of tear gas
Tensions have again flared in Hong Kong after the city had enjoyed an otherwise peaceful Saturday, off the back of five straight days of violence, chaos and traffic disruption.
At about 10.15pm, dozens of riot police closed in on the Polytechnic University campus in Hung Hom, clearing roadblocks along Chatham Road South.
The university is the protesters’ last stronghold after they retreated from Chinese University on Friday night, ending a four-day occupation of the Sha Tin campus.
Black-clad protesters threw multiple petrol bombs from the PolyU campus rooftop, setting objects on the road alight, while riot police responded with volleys of tear gas and other projectiles. At least one protester was reportedly hit by a rubber bullet in the leg and was attended to by first-aiders on the scene.
Both sides regrouped after about 15 minutes of direct clashes, with protesters holding wooden shields and umbrellas on Cheong Wan Road, and riot police standing guard on Chatham Road South.
Tear gas was later also fired on Science Museum Road as another stand-off ensued, with protesters holding umbrellas and wooden shields 100 metres away from riot police. More petrol bombs were thrown before the protesters retreated back into PolyU and reinforced their defences. Two protesters were heard warning all reporters to leave.