Fiery clashes at CUHK as police storm into campus

Fiery clashes at CUHK as police storm into campus

Police fired many rounds of tear gas on the campus. Photo: RTHK

Debris is left on the ground after an intense fight between police and students. Photo: RTHK

Frances Sit reports

Hundreds of riot police officers stormed into the Chinese University on Tuesday afternoon and arrested a number of student protesters after hours of standoff and an intense fight at an entrance of the Sha Tin campus.



Officers had been stationed on a bridge, situated across the Tolo Highway, linking the university to the Science Park, since the morning.



This angered the students who accused the police of trying to intrude into their campus.



Scores of masked, black-clad protesters set up makeshift barricades near the bridge in an attempt to stop the police from coming in.



Staff from the university had tried to calm the situation and negotiate between the protesters and police.



But around 3pm, a fight broke out as protesters, using huge rubbish bins as shields, moved towards the police cordon line, while police fired numerous rounds of tear gas, filling the site with thick white smoke before storming in.



A number of students were wrestled to the ground and arrested.



Riot police continued to charge into the campus while students set fire to various objects, including a car, in an attempt to block the officers' way.



A few students tried, but failed, to drive a bus that was parked on the campus.