Hong Kong on brink of ‘breakdown’ as pro-democracy protesters, police clash at Chinese University

Police and protesters battled outside university campuses and several thousand demonstrators blocked roads as they took over a central business district at lunchtime on Tuesday in another day of protest in Hong Kong.

Students use umbrellas as shields during a clash with police at the Chinese University in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Hong Kong came to a standstill Wednesday as police made several arrests, city’s public transport was suspended and all universities were shut following sharp clashes overnight with anti-government protesters.

Marred by a six-month-long protest over the much contentious extradition bill, which has morphed into a pro-democracy movement, has now led a few protesters to gather in a central business and high-end retail district, AP reported. The protesters, who have been agitating for the third day today, blocked subway train doors from closing and vandalised train cars. Following the protest, universities suspended classes and parents of the students were advised to keep their children at home.

A student vandalizes a train parked inside the Chinese University MTR station in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

During the protest last night at the Chinese University, the protesters used gasoline bombs and lit up parts of the campus as the police retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Security Secretary John Lee said the use of force was needed to gain control of a bridge from which protesters were dropping objects onto a roadway below.

Students hit by water cannon sprayed by police during a clash at Chinese University in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. (Eric Tsang/HK01 via AP)

“The police have a duty to ensure public safety is maintained,” AP quoted Lee as saying. “That’s why we had to take charge of the bridge formerly controlled by the protesters,” he said.

Senior Police Superintendent Kong Wing-heung said last night, said Hong Kong’s mass transit system and subway, known as MRT, was strained by violence and vandalism. He further said, masked rioters have lost control and committed “insane acts” like throwing trash, bicycles and large objects onto MTR tracks, hanging trash on overhead power lines.

Pro-democracy protesters gather on a bridge outside the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

“Our society has been pushed to the brink of a total breakdown,” Wing-heung said.

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According to AP, the police have arrested more than 3,500 people since the movement began in June over a now-withdrawn extradition bill.

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