University has become 'refuge for criminals': Hong Kong police

Hong Kong Police have accused the university of being a "manufacturing base for petrol bombs and a refuge for rioters and criminals" following overnight clashes with anti-government protesters, police also beat demonstrators and made arrests in the heart of the city's financial district.

With much of its public transport suspended and all universities closed after a night of violent clashes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong was paralysed on Wednesday.

Hundreds of protesters assembled on Wednesday on a bridge over a motorway on the edge of the campus and built makeshift barricades, fearing that police might return.

Some carried bows and arrows where some were armed with petrol bombs, which students earlier grabbed after they broke into the university sports centre.

Hundreds of protesters assembled throughout Wednesday on a bridge over a motorway on the edge of the campus and built makeshift barricades, fearing that police might return.

Many were armed with petrol bombs while some carried bows and arrows, which students earlier grabbed after they broke into the university sports centre.

Police had fired multiple shots and rounds of tear gas at the campus during the night and used water cannon on students, who retaliated with petrol bombs and bricks.

On Wednesday, they justified their actions as a response to students who dropped objects from the bridge onto a nearby motorway in their efforts to block traffic and impose city-wide strikes.

Police said protesters also shot burning arrows at officers and threw 400 petrol bombs.

“One may ask where all these petrol bombs and weapons came from?” said Ch Supt Tse Chun-Chung, the head of the police’s public relations branch. “Who would have imagined a university has become a manufacturing base for petrol bombs and a refuge for rioters and criminals?”

The police said 1,567 rounds of tear gas, 1,312 rubber bullets and 380 bean bag rounds were fired on Tuesday at various locations in Hong Kong. They also said 142 arrests were made, with the youngest person detained just 14 years old.

Several universities in the city, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong, announced immediate termination of the current term, scheduled to end in early December.