CE calls for peace at PolyU

November 19, 2019

Chief Executive Carrie Lam:
The Polytechnic University campus has been seized for quite some time already and we are extremely worried about the dangerous situation on the campus.  

The two important principles that I have laid out for the police operation. The first is of course to have a peaceful resolution as far as possible. This objective could only be achieved with the full co-operation of the protesters, including of course the rioters, that they have to stop violence, give up their weapons, come out peacefully and take the instructions from Police. 

The second principle is a very exceptional one. Although Police have said after the warning that anyone leaving the campus will have to be arrested, in light of the special circumstances, the age - that is under 18 - of a certain number of participants within the campus, in order to achieve the objective of both a peaceful and reconciliatory solution, I have asked that the treatment of these underaged minors should be in a very humanitarian way. 

So we have arranged for principals and religious groups’ representatives to go into the campus to encourage and persuade these minors to come out peacefully. If they come out peacefully, we will just put down their data, so we make a record of their personal data and they may then leave the campus and return home. 

We have not done any immediate arrest of these underaged protesters or other participants within the campus. But of course, we would have to reserve the right to undertake further investigations in future. 

At the moment, as far as I could gather, there were about 600 people within the Polytechnic University campus who have come out. About 200 of them are minors and they have been subjected to the special arrangements that I have just referred to. 

And of the other 400 over 18, they have been immediately arrested, whether they came out peacefully on their own, surrendered themselves to Police, or they came out using their various methods and were caught by Police during this operation.

(To watch the video with sign language interpretation, click here.)

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said the Government wishes to resolve the situation at Polytechnic University peacefully, and that minors will be treated humanely when leaving the campus.

Mrs Lam made the remarks ahead of the Executive Council meeting this morning, during which she said that an understanding had been reached with the Commissioner of Police in dealing with the difficult operation.

The Chief Executive said she laid down two important principles for the police operation.

“The first is of course to have a peaceful resolution as far as possible. This objective could only be achieved with the full co-operation of the protesters, including of course the rioters, that they have to stop violence, give up their weapons, come out peacefully and take the instructions from Police.

“The second principle is a very exceptional one. Although Police have said after the warning that anyone leaving the campus will have to be arrested, in light of the special circumstances, the age - that is under 18 - of a certain number of participants within the campus, in order to achieve the objective of both a peaceful and reconciliatory solution, I have asked that the treatment of these underaged minors should be in a very humanitarian way.”

Mrs Lam said arrangements have also been made for principals and representatives of religious groups to enter the campus to encourage and persuade these minors to come out peacefully.

“If they come out peacefully, we will just put down their data, so we make a record of their personal data and they may then leave the campus and return home.

“We have not done any immediate arrest of these underaged protesters or other participants within the campus. But of course, we would have to reserve the right to undertake further investigations in future.”

Mrs Lam said according to police figures, about 600 people have currently left the university campus, of which about 200 are minors who were subjected to the special arrangements.

The other 400 who are over 18 were immediately arrested.