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Selasa, 19 November 2019

US settlement move endorses 'law of jungle' - Palestinians - BBC News

Palestinians have condemned a decision by the US to abandon its four-decades-old position that Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank are inconsistent with international law.

Chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said it threatened to replace international law with the "law of the jungle".

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the US move, saying it "rights a historical wrong".

The UN regards the settlements as being illegal under international law.

Settlements are communities established by Israel on land occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. They have long been a source of dispute between Israel and the international community, and the Palestinians.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "The establishment of Israeli civilian settlements is not, per se, inconsistent with international law." The status of the West Bank, he added, was "for the Israelis and the Palestinians to negotiate".

The move was seen as a victory for Mr Netanyahu, who has pledged to apply Israeli sovereignty over all the settlements, as well as the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea.

What are the Palestinians saying?

The Palestinians have long called for the removal of the settlements, where about 600,000 Jews live, arguing that their presence on land they claim for a future independent Palestinian state makes it almost impossible to make such a state a reality.

"Israeli colonial settlements in the occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem, are not only illegal under international law, they are war crimes," said Mr Erekat. "Once the Trump administration decides to undermine international law... this constitutes a major threat to international peace and security."

Nabil Abu Rudeina, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said: "The United States is neither qualified nor is authorised to negate international legitimacy resolutions, and it has no right to give any legitimacy to Israeli settlement."

Palestinian militant groups also weighed in, calling it the official funeral of the Oslo peace process and urging stepped up resistance to the Israeli occupation.

The European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said the bloc's position was that "all settlement activity is illegal under international law and it erodes the viability of the two-state solution and the prospects for a lasting peace".

In 2017, US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital and ordered the relocation of the US embassy to the city from Tel Aviv. The decision was condemned by Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state, and the UN General Assembly demanded its cancellation.

And earlier this year, Mr Trump recognised Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, which were seized from Syria in the 1967 war.

Mr Pompeo's announcement was made two days ahead of a deadline for Benny Gantz, Mr Netanyahu's political rival, to form a coalition government following an inconclusive general election in September. Mr Gantz was given the opportunity after Mr Netanyahu himself failed to form a ruling coalition.

Hours later, the US state department alerted Americans planning to visit Jerusalem, West Bank or Gaza that "those opposed to the secretary of state's announcement may target US [government] facilities, interests, and citizens".

Boost for Israel, dismay for Palestinians

Mike Pompeo said the decision would create the political space for a more likely resolution of the conflict. But that resolution is now more likely to be on Israel's terms, since it is by far the stronger party.

Dismissing the international legal prohibitions on Jewish settlements undermines the legal framework for the peace process, including the notion of Palestinian national rights and the principle of self-determination.

It will almost certainly boost the movement to expand and annex the Jewish settlements. There has already been a sharp increase in settlement planning and construction since Mr Trump took office.

Palestinians will be dismayed, although not surprised. Palestinian analysts I have spoken with say the growth of Jewish settlements has essentially killed the potential for a viable two-state solution. They speak in terms of a war of position, saying that staying on the land and simply continuing their lives is a kind of non-violent resistance.

What was the previous US position?

In 1978, the Jimmy Carter administration concluded that the establishment of civilian settlements was inconsistent with international law. In 1981, President Ronald Reagan disagreed with that conclusion, saying he did not believe the settlements were inherently illegal.

Since then, the US adopted a position of describing the settlements as "illegitimate" - though not "illegal" - and sheltering Israel from condemnatory resolutions on the issue at the United Nations.

However one of the last acts of the Obama administration, at the end of 2016, was to break with US practice by not vetoing a UN resolution that urged an end to illegal Israeli settlements.

President Trump's administration has displayed a much more tolerant attitude towards settlement activity than President Obama's. Mr Pompeo said the Trump administration had studied all sides of the debate and agreed with Mr Reagan.

Are settlements illegal under international law?

Most of the international community, including the UN and the International Court of Justice, say the settlements are illegal. The basis for this is the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention which forbids the transfer by an occupying power of its people to occupied territory.

However, Israel says the Fourth Geneva Convention does not apply de jure to the West Bank because, it says, the territory is not technically occupied.

Israel says it is legally there as a result of a defensive war, and did not take control of the West Bank from a legitimate sovereign power. It says the legal right of Jewish settlement there as recognised by the 1922 League of Nations Mandate for Palestine was preserved under the UN's charter.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50470812

2019-11-19 09:20:22Z
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LIVE: Hong Kong students hand themselves in - The Sun

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2019-11-19 09:06:47Z
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Senin, 18 November 2019

Hong Kong Police Trap Protesters in Campus Standoff: ‘Please Let My Daughter Go’ - The Wall Street Journal

Protesters throw paper to fuel a fire at the main entrance to Hong Kong Polytechnic... — Protesters throw paper to fuel a fire at the main entrance to Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the site of a standoff with police. Photo: anthony wallace/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

Natasha Khan,

Natasha Khan

The Wall Street Journal

Biography
@natashakhanhk
natasha.khan@wsj.com

Joyu Wang and

Joyu Wang

The Wall Street Journal

Biography
@joyuwang
joyu.wang@wsj.com

Steven Russolillo

The Wall Street Journal

Biography
@srussolillo
steve.russolillo
Steven.Russolillo@wsj.com

Updated Nov. 18, 2019 8:43 am ET

HONG KONG—A standoff between protesters and police at a university here extended into a second evening, with police keeping the area on lockdown while refraining from using the lethal force they had threatened, as increasingly militant antigovernment activists battled back.

When dozens of black-clad protesters jumped railings on Monday afternoon and tried to flee the Hong Kong Polytechnic University campus where the standoff is taking place, police fired tear gas, pepper bullets and water cannon at them, driving many back in. Scuffles broke out as protesters hurled bricks while holding umbrellas for cover. Later Monday, police and government officials urged protesters to give themselves up peacefully.

Police in riot gear, including members of an elite squad known as the Raptors, made some arrests in close combat, including wrestling to the ground several demonstrators who had fought back, causing some bloody scenes. Live video feeds showed a few protesters evading police and running up alleyways and into greenery at the university as they tried to avoid arrest. It was unclear how many successfully fled.

At a police blockade line near the university, a woman who said her daughter was trapped inside the campus burst into tears in front of a couple of police officers. “Please let my daughter go,” said the woman, who knelt down to beg. “Or I would jump from a building in front of you.” Shortly afterward, others joined her for an impromptu sit-in.

The university confrontation, which began a week ago and intensified Sunday morning, has marked an escalation in the tactics underlying the protesters’ strategy. What started as a largely peaceful movement more than five months ago before turning violent has recently taken a yet more combative turn.

Last week, protesters at universities—who include college- and high-school-aged activists as well as older demonstrators—began driving the action more. They began stockpiling makeshift weapons and adopting more aggressive tactics in an effort to maintain the movement’s momentum, fighting with police in several districts near campuses. Protesters began using bows and arrows and adopting the sustained use of slingshots as well as more Molotov cocktails.

Late Sunday, police had threatened to use lethal force if necessary to combat attacks from protesters, who at several times during the day were hurling Molotov cocktails almost continuously. Protesters had gathered at PolyU after a week of clashes at universities, and caused disruptions at the Cross-Harbor Tunnel—a key artery that connects two main parts of the city.

The standoff continued as a law banning people from wearing masks at protests was ruled unconstitutional Monday by Hong Kong’s High Court. The ruling marks a setback for the government, which had imposed the measure under emergency powers in an attempt to quell the unrest.

The entrance to the key Cross-Harbor Tunnel has been disrupted during continuing protests. Photo: dale de la rey/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

A commentary published Monday by the People’s Daily newspaper, a mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, said there should be no room for compromise with protesters, adding that Hong Kong’s future had reached a crisis point. It said there would be no toleration of radical, violent activities that challenged the “one country, two systems” principle that governs China’s relationship with semiautonomous Hong Kong.

Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Wu Qian, speaking to reporters at a regional conference of defense officials in Bangkok, cited a Nov. 14 speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping in which he said the president gave “the highest direction of the central government” to end violence and restore order in Hong Kong. He called it the army’s most pressing task in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam has stayed mostly out of the public eye during the standoff, though she did visit a police officer who was shot by an arrow during Sunday’s clashes at PolyU. In a Facebook post Monday she referred to the protesters as “rioters” and condemned the destruction of facilities in and around campus, as well as the use of Molotov cocktails and bricks.

“The police have made many appeals; whoever is inside the Polytechnic University campus should listen as soon as they can,” Mrs. Lam wrote.

Inside the campus, meanwhile, protesters were trapped inside facilities, according to a student there. The surrounding of the campus by police and their use of tear gas on those trying to leave allowed protesters no choice but to hide inside, he said. There were enough food and supplies to last for another day or two, he said. Those inside the university face arrest for rioting if they surrender, and if convicted could face up to a decade in prison.

Police said Monday that Red Cross volunteers had been allowed to enter PolyU to provide first aid. Previously, police had blocked access for many volunteers hoping to enter the campus to provide aid to the wounded, and photos circulating on social media showed a number of first-aid volunteers had been arrested when trying to leave the campus.

Hong Kong police try to storm Hong Kong Polytechnic University where hundreds of protesters have stockpiled Molotov cocktails and other improvised weapons. Photo: Anthony Kwan/Getty Images

“Since a large amount of weapons, including petrol bombs and explosives, remain on PolyU campus, and dangerous chemicals have been stolen from the laboratory, this poses a grave threat to public safety,” a police statement said. It added that police give “great importance to the injured people at Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the rights of arrested persons.”

The city’s Hospital Authority said Monday that 38 people, ranging from 16 to 84 years old, had been taken to hospitals with injuries over the weekend. Five were in serious condition and the rest were either stable or had been discharged.

The police said 154 people had been arrested over the same period, including at least one as young as 13, bringing the total number of arrests to 4,491 since the protest movement began on June 9. Some of those arrested included self-identified medics and some who identified as journalists but couldn’t provide valid credentials.

Police also said they had used live bullets twice, on Sunday night and early Monday morning. In one skirmish, officers fired at a car that attempted to hit a police roadblock.

More skirmishes developed across Hong Kong on Monday and showed few signs of letting up. At 9 p.m., police were firing tear gas and rubber bullets in Jordan, an area in Kowloon near the university, while protesters countered with Molotov cocktails and fire bombs. Black-clad demonstrators as well as regularly dressed people filled the streets again at nighttime, many trying to get food, water and supplies to PolyU.

The umbrella has been a symbol of the continuing protests. Photo: fazry ismail/Shutterstock

Loud explosions occurred repeatedly, with big fires in the streets and heavy clouds of smoke hovering over the area. Fliers on social media suggested the roads had been doused with fuel, making the explosions even bigger. Roads were littered with bamboo barricades, umbrellas and garbage, which riot police attempted to clear.

Protesters also gathered again in Central, the bustling financial district, which last week was engulfed in tear gas.

Meanwhile, the city’s Education Bureau announced that primary and secondary schools would remain closed. Classes are expected to resume on Wednesday, almost a week after they were initially suspended, the bureau said. Kindergartens and special-needs schools are expected to remain suspended until Sunday.

Related Coverage

—Rachel Yeo in Singapore and Nancy A. Youssef in Bangkok contributed to this article.

Write to Natasha Khan at natasha.khan@wsj.com, Joyu Wang at joyu.wang@wsj.com and Steven Russolillo at steven.russolillo@wsj.com

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https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-protesters-trapped-in-university-standoff-please-let-my-daughter-go-11574074401

2019-11-18 13:43:00Z
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Protesters arrested as they run from Hong Kong campus - BBC News - BBC News

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D_cLPK6fjM

2019-11-18 12:05:15Z
52780435950054

Hong Kong protesters make last stand as police close in on besieged university - The Washington Post

Tyrone Siu Reuters A protester is detained by riot police while attempting to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University during clashes on Monday.

HONG KONG — Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters were surrounded by riot police Monday inside a besieged Hong Kong college campus, as almost six months of intensifying anti-government unrest appeared headed for a bitter and perhaps bloody climax.

Police blocked exits to try to coax exhausted protesters out of the Polytechnic University on Monday after a night of clashes with students. When some attempted to leave, officers forced them back with tear gas and rubber bullets and made dozens of arrests. As night fell, and with explosions and black smoke emanating from the grounds, police repeated demands for the demonstrators — some of whom have been there for days — to surrender.

As protests raged in Hong Kong on Nov. 17, a police vehicle being used to clear a bridge was hit by a Molotov cocktail and forced to retreat.

At rallies across the city, people expressed support for the trapped students. “Save PolyU, save the students!” they chanted. In the densely packed streets adjoining the university, demonstrators using umbrellas as shields edged toward police lines and were repulsed with tear gas.

[Hong Kong police move on university campus, threaten live rounds, retreat before growing flames]

Unable to forge a political settlement to end an uprising that has shattered Hong Kong’s reputation as a stable base for business, the city’s embattled leadership has appeared increasingly paralyzed even as it has clamped down harder on demonstrators.

The spiraling violence and heavy-handed crackdown have sharpened concerns about China’s “one country, two systems” framework under which Hong Kong, led by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, is supposed to enjoy relative freedoms and autonomy from Beijing until 2047.

Ng Han Guan

Police in riot gear move through a cloud of smoke at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Monday, as the city’s months-long political crisis reached a boiling point.

At the Polytechnic University, a front-line protester, who declined to give her name out of fear of retribution, said people were frantically trying to find a way out of the campus in the face of the police encirclement. Protesters who broke inside a doctor’s office left blood around the room — and a note apologizing.

Some 500 to 600 students remain trapped, said Derek Liu, head of the university’s student union. PolyU’s president, Jin-Guang Teng, in a video statement urged students to hand themselves in.

Nearby, broken bricks, scaffolding and fences were strewn across the streets of the Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district.

[Behind the barricade, Hong Kong protesters turn a university into a fortress]

“We feel very disappointed about the government,” said Peter, a 30-year-old clerk, who was dressed in business attire and declined to give his full name as he watched tear gas billow out from an alleyway. “There are many ways to solve the problem, like dialogue. The government hasn’t done anything to solve the issue, instead forcing protesters to violence.”

Some of the city’s working men and women are using their spending power to help front-line protesters confront police during the demonstrations in Hong Kong.

At a news conference, regional police commander Cheuk Hau-yip said officers had given protesters “enough time and enough warnings” to disperse.

He said there was no plan for police to break into the campus for now. “If they surrender and come out, we will arrange the appropriate medical help for them,” Cheuk said.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

Protesters attempt to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University during clashes with police on Monday.

The violence on campus and the police response point to a lack of leadership and confusion in both Hong Kong and Beijing, said Minxin Pei, an expert on Chinese politics at Claremont McKenna College in California. Even as police threatened to use live rounds to crush the occupation at Polytechnic, Lam was notably absent from public view all weekend, at a time when Chinese leader Xi Jinping was traveling overseas.

“Carrie Lam really does not want to be seen as responsible for any large-scale violence at this point, as Beijing will make the ultimate decision whether to escalate to use live rounds,” Pei said. “I don’t think Beijing wants to cause massive bloodshed, but the decisions made in Beijing over the next 48 hours will be crucial.”

In a new setback for Lam, Hong Kong’s High Court ruled Monday that the government’s use of a British colonial-era emergency ordinance to ban face masks at public gatherings was unconstitutional. Lam had introduced the measure to aid police in identifying protesters and effectively expand powers of arrest.

Lam visited an injured police officer in the hospital on Monday, but she did not make public remarks, and her office did not respond to a request for comment. In a message on Facebook later, she condemned protesters and urged them to obey police.

With the crisis escalating, fears are mounting that China’s ruling Communist Party might attempt a lethal intervention. In 1989, soldiers opened fire in Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds, perhaps thousands, of student demonstrators.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

A riot police officer points a gun at protesters attempting to escape the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Chinese state media, meanwhile, urged harsher measures. In a commentary Monday on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, Hu Xijin, editor of the Global Times tabloid, called for Hong Kong police to be authorized to use rifles against demonstrators, who have armed themselves with molotov cocktails, bows and arrows, bricks and other weapons. Snipers should use live ammunition to take out armed demonstrators, Hu said, adding that “if there are rioter deaths, police do not have to assume legal liability.”

In an English-language editorial, the China Daily said Xi had urged Hong Kong’s government to take “firmer action” to restore order, in his strongest statement to date. “The [Hong Kong] government, which has taken a relatively soft line up to now, should shoulder its responsibility to safeguard the lives and well-being of Hong Kong’s law-abiding residents and take more decisive measures to counter the violence and uphold the rule of law,” the editorial said.

Pressured by a trade war with the United States, criticism of China’s repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and a slowing domestic economy, Xi has sought to project a tough line on Hong Kong. But a bloody crackdown would play out under the glare of the world’s media and further inflame worries about Hong Kong’s loss of autonomy.

China’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that no one should underestimate Beijing’s determination to safeguard China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s stability.

China’s Defense Ministry also weighed in, noting the presence of the People’s Liberation Army garrison in Hong Kong that over the weekend participated in the removal of debris and barricades left by protesters.

“The PLA Hong Kong garrison is determined, confident and capable of protecting national security, development interests and the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong,” the ministry said.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

A protester is detained by riot police on Monday.

The protests flared in June over a now-abandoned proposal to allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China. But the movement has grown into a wider pushback against China’s growing reach into Hong Kong, encompassing demands for full democracy and police accountability.

Emily Lau, a pro-democracy politician, said Lam was unable to do anything because “she is waiting for orders from Beijing.” But Xi was caught in a power struggle, she said, and his enemies within the party were “happy to see Hong Kong burn” because it made him appear unable to control the situation.

Among the protesters, Hong Kong’s general population, the local government, and central authorities in Beijing, “the weakest of the four players is our government,” Jasper Tsang, the former head of Hong Kong’s legislature who belonged to the pro-Beijing camp, said over the weekend as he described a city in paralysis.

“The [Hong Kong] government: It is incapable of doing anything; Carrie Lam has admitted it,” Tsang told the Hong Kong Free Press in an interview. “There is no strong decision-making mechanism. [Lam] listens to the hard-liners, and there is no politician who could take responsibility.”

Samson Yuen, assistant professor of political science Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, said Hong Kong’s government has been absent throughout the crisis.

“It would actually be quite surprising it they came out at this moment and suddenly offered a political solution,” he said. “It’s almost designed to be like this, from the moment they decided not to negotiate with protesters. That just means a suppressive outcome.”

Shih reported from Beijing. David Crawshaw contributed to this report.

What’s happening in Hong Kong? Some key questions, answered.

As unrest paralyzes Hong Kong, college students from elsewhere begin to evacuate

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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2019-11-18 11:45:00Z
52780435950054

Hong Kong protesters make last stand as police close in on besieged university - The Washington Post

Tyrone Siu Reuters A protester is detained by riot police while attempting to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University during clashes on Monday.

HONG KONG — Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters were surrounded by riot police on Monday inside a besieged Hong Kong college campus, as almost six months of intensifying anti-government unrest appeared headed for a bitter and perhaps bloody climax.

Police blocked exits to try to coax exhausted protesters out of the Polytechnic University on Monday, after a night of clashes with students. When some attempted to leave, officers forced them back with tear gas and rubber bullets, and made dozens of arrests. As night fell, and with explosions and black smoke emanating from the grounds, police repeated demands for the demonstrators to surrender.

[Hong Kong police move on university campus, threaten live rounds, retreat before growing flames]

Ng Han Guan

Police in riot gear move through a cloud of smoke at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Monday, as the city’s months-long political crisis reached a boiling point.

Some 500 to 600 students remain trapped, said Derek Liu, head of the university’s student union. PolyU’s president, Jin-Guang Teng, in a video statement urged students to hand themselves in.

Nearby, broken bricks, scaffolding and fences were strewn across the streets of the Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district.

[Behind the barricade, Hong Kong protesters turn a university into a fortress]

At a news conference, regional police commander Cheuk Hau-yip said officers had given protesters “enough time and enough warnings” to disperse.

He said there was no plan for police to break into the campus for now. “If they surrender and come out, we will arrange the appropriate medical help for them,” Cheuk said.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

Protesters attempt to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University during clashes with police on Monday.

The violence on campus and the police response point to a lack of leadership and confusion among both Hong Kong leaders and Beijing, said Minxin Pei, an expert on Chinese politics at Claremont McKenna College. Even as police threatened to use live rounds to crush the occupation at Polytechnic, Lam was notably absent from public view all weekend, at a time when Chinese leader Xi Jinping was traveling overseas.

Lam visited an injured police officer in the hospital on Monday, but did not make public remarks, and her office did not respond to a request for comment. In a message on Facebook later, she condemned protesters and urged them to obey police.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

A riot police officer points a gun at protesters attempting to escape the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Chinese state media is baying for blood. In a commentary Monday on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, Hu Xijin, editor of the Global Times tabloid, called for Hong Kong police to be authorized to use rifles against demonstrators, who have armed themselves with molotov cocktails, bows and arrows, bricks and other weapons. Snipers should use live ammunition to take out armed demonstrators, Hu said, adding that “If there are rioter deaths, police do not have to assume legal liability.”

Pressured by a trade war with the United States, criticism of China’s repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, and a slowing domestic economy, Xi has sought to project a tough line on Hong Kong. But a bloody crackdown would play out under the glare of the world’s media and further inflame worries about Hong Kong’s loss of autonomy.

China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday said no one should underestimate Beijing’s determination to safeguard China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s stability.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

A protester is detained by riot police on Monday.

Between the protesters, Hong Kong’s general population, the local government, and central authorities in Beijing, “the weakest of the four players is our government,” Jasper Tsang, the former head of Hong Kong’s legislature who belonged to the pro-Beijing camp, said over the weekend as he described a city in paralysis.

“The [Hong Kong] government: it is incapable of doing anything, Carrie Lam has admitted it,” Tsang told the Hong Kong Free Press in an interview. “There is no strong decision-making mechanism. [Lam] listens to the hard-liners, and there is no politician who could take responsibility.”

Samson Yuen, assistant professor of political science Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, said Hong Kong’s government had been absent throughout the crisis.

Shih reported from Beijing. David Crawshaw contributed to this report.

What’s happening in Hong Kong? Some key questions, answered.

As unrest paralyzes Hong Kong, college students from elsewhere begin to evacuate

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Hong Kong protesters make last stand as police close in on besieged university - The Washington Post

Tyrone Siu Reuters A protester is detained by riot police while attempting to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University during clashes on Monday.

HONG KONG — Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters were surrounded by riot police on Monday inside a besieged Hong Kong university, as almost six months of intensifying anti-government unrest appeared headed for a bitter and perhaps bloody climax.

Police blocked exits to try to coax exhausted protesters out of the campus on Monday, after a night of clashes with students. When some attempted to leave, officers forced them back with tear gas and rubber bullets, and made dozens of arrests. As night fell, and with explosions and black smoke emanating from the campus, police repeated demands for the demonstrators to surrender.

Rallies erupted across the city, with people expressing support for the trapped students. “Save PolyU, save the students!” they chanted. In the densely packed streets adjoining the university, demonstrators using umbrellas as shields edged toward police lines and were repulsed with tear gas.

[Hong Kong police move on university campus, threaten live rounds, retreat before growing flames]

Ng Han Guan

Police in riot gear move through a cloud of smoke at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Monday, as the city’s months-long political crisis reached a boiling point.

In a new setback for Lam, Hong Kong’s High Court ruled Monday that the government’s use of a British colonial-era emergency ordinance to ban face coverings at public gatherings was unconstitutional. Lam had introduced the measure, sought by pro-Beijing politicians, to aid police in identifying protesters and effectively expand powers of arrest.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

Protesters attempt to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University during clashes with police on Monday.

Lam visited an injured police officer in the hospital on Monday, staying for about 10 minutes. She did not make public remarks, and her office did not respond to a request for comment. Later in the day, in a message on her Facebook account, Lam condemned the protesters and urged them to obey police.

The clashes renewed concerns that the Hong Kong government might suspend local district elections Nov. 24. Patrick Nip, a Hong Kong official responsible for mainland affairs, said the ability to hold the elections depended on protesters’ halting violence, and that the government would “try our best” to allow the vote to proceed.

The university’s president, Jin-Guang Teng, in a video statement urged students to hand themselves in to the authorities.

Nearby, broken bricks, scaffolding and fences were strewn across the streets of the Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district.

[Behind the barricade, Hong Kong protesters turn a university into a fortress]

At a news conference, regional police commander Cheuk Hau-yip said officers had given protesters “enough time and enough warnings” to disperse.

He said there was no plan for police to break into the campus for now. “If they surrender and come out, we will arrange the appropriate medical help for them,” Cheuk said.

Some 500 to 600 students remain trapped in the campus, said Derek Liu, president of the university’s student union.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

A riot police officer points a gun at protesters attempting to escape the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Chinese state media on Monday was baying for blood. In a commentary on Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, Hu Xijin, editor of the Global Times tabloid, called for Hong Kong police to be authorized to use rifles against demonstrators, who have armed themselves with molotov cocktails, bows and arrows, bricks and other weapons. Snipers should use live ammunition to take out armed demonstrators, Hu said, adding that “If there are rioter deaths, police do not have to assume legal liability.”

In an English-language editorial, the state-run China Daily newspaper said Xi had urged Hong Kong’s government to take “firmer action” to restore order, in his strongest statement to date. “The [Hong Kong] government, which has taken a relatively soft line up to now, should shoulder its responsibility to safeguard the lives and well-being of Hong Kong’s law-abiding residents and take more decisive measures to counter the violence and uphold the rule of law,” the editorial said.

Under pressure from the trade war with the United States, global criticism of China’s repression of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, and a slowing domestic economy, Xi has sought to project a tough line on Hong Kong. But a bloody crackdown would play out under the glare of the world’s media and further entrench worries about Hong Kong’s loss of autonomy under Xi.

China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday said no one should underestimate Beijing’s determination to safeguard China’s sovereignty and Hong Kong’s stability.

Thomas Peter

Reuters

A protester is detained by riot police on Monday.

The protests flared in June over a now-abandoned proposal to allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China. But the movement has since grown into a broader pushback against China’s growing influence over Hong Kong, encompassing demands for full democracy and police accountability.

Samson Yuen, assistant professor of political science Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, said Hong Kong’s government had been absent throughout the crisis.

Shih reported from Beijing. David Crawshaw contributed to this report.

What’s happening in Hong Kong? Some key questions, answered.

As unrest paralyzes Hong Kong, college students from elsewhere begin to evacuate

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news

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