Police today said they are alarmed by the increasing number of students participating in riots.

Police Public Relations Branch Senior Superintendent Kong Wing-cheung made the statement at a press conference this afternoon.

He said that out of 287 people arrested yesterday, more than 60% of them were students.

“We are very alarmed by the trend that more and more young students are participating in these rioting acts.”

Mr Kong added that police officers yesterday pulled out their revolvers to protect themselves and others.

“Instead of backing off, rioters now would confront police officers even after they had pulled out their guns.”

He also said that talks of injuring and even murdering police officers on online anti-police platforms show no sign of stopping.

“Some ill-intentioned people still propagate the use of extreme violence, like corrosive attacks and snatching guns to target police officers.

“Please do not underestimate the impact of their violence as it endangers anyone in the society. It is a social threat.”