HONG KONG – A Hong Kong university campus under siege for more than a week was a deserted wasteland on Saturday, with a handful of protesters holed up in hidden refuges across the trashed grounds, as the city’s focus turned to local elections.
The siege neared its end as some protesters at Polytechnic University on the Kowloon peninsula desperately sought a way out and others vowed not to surrender, days after some of the worst violence since anti-government demonstrations escalated in June.
“If they storm in, there are a lot of places for us to hide,” said Sam, a 21-year-old student, who was eating two-minute noodles in the cafeteria, while plotting his escape.
Another protester, Ron, vowed to remain until the end with other holdouts, adding, “The message will be clear that we will never surrender.”
“I’ll continue to stay here, but hopefully not forever,” he said with a touch of humor.
The handful of protesters still visible on the campus were outnumbered by media and people seeking to provide assistance.
A social worker who would only give his name as Sendon said he had crossed paths with four protesters on Saturday and was concerned about their mental state.
“They’ve been in this highly stressful environment for so long, over 120 hours, and they have no easy way to release this stress,” he said. “We’re trying to urge them to come out in a gentle manner.” (Reuters)
