Fires, repression and prodemocracy demonstrators entrenched at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong: police threaten "real bullets"

[Inkriql]

Prodemocracy protesters set fire to the entrance of the Hong Kong campus where they are entrenched on Monday to prevent police intervention, which in turn threatened to use "real bullets" if the mobilized resort to "lethal weapons" in clashes that occur around The Polytechnic University of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong has been experiencing unprecedented demonstrations since June against the interference of Beijing, and in favor of greater democracy, in this semi-autonomous territory of 7.5 million inhabitants, which suffers its greatest political crisis since in 1997 it returned to Chinese sovereignty.

The Beijing government has refused any concession and warned that it will not tolerate the insurrection.
Play
Hong Kong police deploy tear gas against protesters - World

The crisis entered this week in a new, more radical phase, with the adoption by the demonstrators of the strategy of "General Hatching" ("Blossom Everywhere"), which consists in multiplying the blockades and acts of vandalism, and testing Police capabilities

"Restoring order" in Hong Kong "is the most urgent task," a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Defense said Monday in Bangkok, referring to the first mobilization of Chinese soldiers on the streets of the former British colony.
One of the protesters at the time of being arrested by the Hong Kong Police (REUTERS / Tyrone Siu)
One of the protesters at the time of being arrested by the Hong Kong Police (REUTERS / Tyrone Siu)

On Saturday, for the first time since the beginning of the demonstrations in June, soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (EPL) left the barracks to clear the barricades of the streets.

The statement took place after Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe met with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.

"Ending violence and restoring order is the most urgent task," the spokesman added.
Play
Hong Kong student protesters within the Poly University - World

The army lurking

The EPL, which has thousands of soldiers in Hong Kong since 1997, when China regained control of the territory, is determined to "safeguard the interests of China's sovereignty," the spokesman added.

According to article 14 of the Hong Kong Constitution, the Chinese army can intervene by order of the executive to "maintain public order" or in case of humanitarian "catastrophe."

While the Chinese army is on the prowl, the demonstrators obtained a symbolic success on Monday: the ban on wearing a mask in the demonstrations, decided in October by the Hong Kong government to try to deactivate the pro-democracy mobilization, was considered anti-constitutional Monday by the High Cut.

In order not to be identified, protesters usually wear masks or masks, in addition to swimming goggles or gas masks to protect themselves from tear gas.https://www.infobae.com/new-resizer/igP2zBPXN3V9rCxe0MCz5OgtV60=/750x0/filters:quality(100)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-infobae.s3.amazonaws.com/public/OBE56MPGE5BL5GQGARYISJEQ5U.jpg