Police offer new route for those trapped in PolyU

People detained by police near Polytechnic University on Monday morning. Photo: AFP

Police on Monday issued another warning to protesters at Polytechnic University to "drop weapons" and leave the area via the Cheong Wan Road South Bridge.



Officers had continued to surround the campus and nearby areas, detaining nearly 100 people in Tsim Sha Tsui East.



In a message tweeted out just before midday, police said they were appealing to "everyone inside the Polytechnic University to drop their weapons and dangerous items, remove their gas masks and leave via the top level of Cheong Wan Road South Bridge in an orderly manner".



Earlier in the morning, tear gas was fired at some protesters who were seen coming out of the campus.



Referring to this, police said "officers dispersed the rioters with tear gas, the minimum force necessary" after they were charged at.



A "group of masked rioters who have been holed up in the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong suddenly charged at police cordons, many holding petrol bombs", it said.



On Sunday night, police had ordered everyone to leave via a single exit on the north side of the campus, by the Lee Shau Kee Building at the Core-Y area of the university.



But some social workers and first aiders who came out of the campus that way were detained. Online news network Inmediahk.net had also reported that two of its reporters who left through the Core-Y exit were stopped by police.