A pro-democracy lawmaker and dozens of protesters were among the latest to leave Hong Kong Polytechnic University amid an ongoing police siege, as outlets reported that some protesters, desperate to escape the campus, had gone so far as to attempt to flee via the sewers.
It had been previously reported that hundreds of protesters were trapped on the Hung Hom campus since police surrounded it over the weekend, with authorities beating back efforts at escape with volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets, prompting some protesters to stage elaborate evacuations.
In a press conference earlier this morning, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said that some 600 protesters had left PolyU, of which, some 200 were under 18 years old, and that about 100 protesters remained, RTHK reports.
At about 4pm today, pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui — who had been on campus since Sunday — told media gathered at the site that he and about a dozen protesters would leave the campus peacefully, and that he was ready to be arrested on suspicion of “rioting” along with them.
Ted Hui leads the group out of PolyU, there is one under 18 years old. pic.twitter.com/WoPvSLpfZY
— Alvin Lum (@alvinllum) November 19, 2019
Hui told local reporters that he had briefed protesters on arrangements for what would happen if they left, and warned that they could be arrested for rioting, but reassured them that legal advice he received from lawyers was that they may not be prosecuted right away.
He also said that “there’s a strong urge for them to go home,” adding that students were dirty and hungry.
Hui also criticized the police’s declaration on Sunday evening that anyone still on campus would be declared a rioter, a charge that carries a hefty prison sentence.
Ted Hui walked away with the students earlier on. Some students covered themselves up with clothes and sobbed inside. #antielab #HongKongProtest pic.twitter.com/l2se2QMIPe
— Jessie Pang (@JessiePang0125) November 19, 2019
He also told reporters that an undisclosed number of student protesters had decided to remain on campus.
“There are also very determined students who have decided to stay here till the last moment; the reason is that they believe they have done nothing wrong, and it’s only the police’s fault [for] attacking the university and forceful entry [into] the university.”
Hui and the group of surrendering protesters were filmed leaving the campus at about 5pm.
The latest batch of surrenders came hours after some 50 protesters similiarly emerged from campus at 10am this morning. Several livestreams from the scene showed protesters covered in emergency blankets, with some reportedly suffering from hypothermia after being repeatedly drenched by water cannons, and others saying they had run out of food on campus.
After dramatic scenes emerged last night of people abseiling down from a bridge and onto waiting motorbikes to make their escape, multiple outlets today reported that protesters today had also tried to flee via the sewers.
Protesters removed metal manhole covers, some making exploratory forays into the fetid tunnels, following rumors of successful exfiltrations. Pockets of protesters, some with thick bandages wrapped around their knees in anticipation of a long crawl to freedom, discussed an unlikely — and dangerous — breakout.
AFP reporters saw one group on their stomachs practicing crawling. Another group hugged each other in consolation after apparently agreeing not to take the route down into the unknown.
“The people outside can’t help us,” a protester told local television as he prepared to descend into a sewer. “So what can we do?”
While most outlets reported that that endeavor was unsuccessful and that firefighters had pulled a few people out, the broadcaster Now TV reported that some people were missing and couldn’t be found, even after a search. The report, as of press time, hadn’t been corroborated.
As night fell, it was unclear how many protesters were still on campus, but protesters could be seen gathering on Nathan Road in Mong Kok to ready for another “rescue operation.”
https://twitter.com/HighlandPaddyHK/status/1196725000578842625
#HongKongProtests Riot police arrive on Nathan Road in #MK at about 6pm, clearing some of the bricks on the road n warning pedestrians to leave the area – most protesters have already fled by the time pic.twitter.com/BwsqHLoPMZ
— Chan Ho-him (@ThomasHHChan) November 19, 2019
Additional reporting by AFP.
Reader Interactions