Hong Kong Polytechnic University has been the setting for riots and protests that have rocked the city of Hong Kong. This is the culmination of about five months of anti government protests whereby citizens have chosen to show their disapproval. In the beginning, the protesters were opposing an extradition bill that had raised some controversy. The month of June recorded five separate protests opposing some aspects of the bill. The protests that initially seemed peacefully, soon escalated to violence. In retaliation the police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to calm the crowds. Some protesters were also arrested during the clashes.
July protests centered around demands to release arrested protesters. The venue changed to parliament where the protesters used graffiti to deface the regional emblem of Hong Kong. A few weeks later, the next protesters rubbished the appeal for calm as the extradition bill had been withdrawn. Protesters went ahead and defaced the Liason Building (Tsoi, 2019). Towards the end of July, a new set of protests occurred blaming the government for not protecting commuters from a gang attack. This shifted the way of riots, protesters began wearing masks and protective gear. The August protests factored around the erosion of rights and the loss of autonomy in the Hong Kong region (Tsoi, 2019). Protests continued to attract violent reactions from the police. They continued in engaging in violent riots making it impossible to conduct business. At some point time, flights were cancelled as the riots escalated to the airport.
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The increasing protest raised more issues among the population when the government banned the protesters from wearing masks during demonstrations. The October ruling marked the turning point as the protesters were now opposed to the government's attempt to limit their rights (Safi et al., 2019). The venue of the riots shifted to the universities after the death of a university student. As a result, more universities across the city were barricaded by students who disrupted traffic and engaged the police in running battles.
The riots that had earlier on been organized by the student's union supported by activists. Hong Kong Polytechnic University was then barricaded and used as a fort (Tsoi, 2019). The blockage of the University was done to prevent the smooth flow of traffic. This is because its location is strategic and a major focal point for traffic (Tsoi, 2019). The campuses were also seen as favorable assembly points because the police had been refrained from accessing the premises. Inside the campuses were mainly students and alumni. These groups were later supported by protesters who resided outside campuses.
The protesters included not only students but also parents, human rights activists, other college students and many well wishers. Banners and placards were used to convey encouraging messages to the groups. As a result, the government reacted with force and threatened to arrest anyone who engaged in the riots within the campus premises (Tsoi, 2019). Following this reason, the groups within the polytechnic resigned to peaceful riots . However, others groups of students declined and continued with destructive demonstrations (Safi et al., 2019). As a matter of fact, it was recorded that some protesters attempted to exit the college by jumping over the wall. However, the police had sealed all the exits, and as a result, only a few of the protesters were able to escape without arrest. The police also attempted to force out a number of students outside by firing tear gases inside the institution.
The issues at hand escalated, and it was no longer about extradition bill. The protesters became furious, demanding for a number of issues to be addressed. These included; abuse of power, the flouting of human rights and police brutality. However, things did not unravel as expected. Unfortunately, striking for negotiations to help find a solution was taking a little longer than expected (Safi et al., 2019). Sadly, the illegal spiraling radical activities continues to cause not only more harm, but a class deferment over indefinite period of time.
References
Tsoi, G. (2019). Hong Kong Polytechnic University: Protesters arrested as they run from campus. BBC NEWS.Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50455727
Safi, M. Lyons, NZK. Marsh, S. (2019). Hong Kong protesters try to advance on besieged university campus – as it happened. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/nov/18/hong-kong-protest-police-storm-polytechnic-university-after-standoff-with-protesters-live
