CUHK is being used as a weapons factory: police

Students take their positions outside the Chinese University. Photo: AP

Tuesday saw ferocious battles between police and students at the Chinese University. File photo: AFP

Police said on Wednesday that the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) appears to have been turned into a "weapons factory", as they gave an account of the hours of violent clashes that took place there a day before between riot officers and students.



The force said that 400 petrol bombs were tossed at officers on Tuesday and "several hundred" of these were thrown at the university campus in Sha Tin.



Chief Superintendent John Tse said he couldn't understand why a university in the SAR would have so many petrol bombs lying around, adding that bows and arrows had also been used against officers.



"We have strong suspicions that the school was used as a weapons factory," Tse said.



The force explained that they were at the university to stop people from throwing objects from a bridge onto the nearby Tolo Highway.



At their press briefing, the police said a massive 1,567 rounds of tear gas were fired on Tuesday, as clashes broke out in multiple spots. In addition, 1,312 rubber bullets and 380 bean bag rounds were fired, they said.



Meanwhile, 142 arrests were made, with the youngest person detained just 14 years old.



The force added that 12 of its officers were injured throughout the day, including one by a signal flare at CUHK.



Among those hit by the huge amount of tear gas fired at the university on Tuesday was the institution's president, Rocky Tuan, who was approaching riot officers at the time to ask them to consider releasing three arrested students.