Hong Kong, schools closed and blocked traffic feed high tensions

Riot police broke into several universities. Yesterday was one of the most violent days in the five months of unrest. The conditions of a young man shot at close range by the police are still "serious". Beijing praises the police for their "control".

Hong Kong (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Several schools and universities in Hong Kong today remain closed for security reasons, while protesters have called for a day of traffic disruption. Many railway lines in the area are suspended or subject to heavy delays. The police are searching the passengers and long queues are forming in the stations.

This morning, riot police broke into several universities, firing tear gas into one of these to disperse the students. According to Chief executive, Carrie Lam, the protesters who are trying to "paralyze" the city are "extremely selfish". In China, state media reports that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is available, if necessary, to support the Hong Kong police. Moreover, Beijing has praised the armed forces for exercising "control".

Yesterday, the former British colony witnessed one of the most violent days in the five months of unrest and protests in favor of democracy: in the morning, a police officer opened fire at close range against an unarmed demonstrator near a roadblock set up by activists; another man was littered with flammable liquid and set on fire by anti-government protesters after an argument. Both were hospitalized in critical conditions. Local media report that the conditions of the activist shot by the agent are downgraded to "serious". For the police, the attack on the second man is attempted murder, but no one has yet been arrested for the accident.

After five months of protests, tensions in the territory have not abated, not even today. Police fired tear gas at City University during a clash between students and officers in riot gear that continued throughout the morning.

Hong Kong Polytechnic students attempted to stop traffic near their campus. In the morning, rail services and road closures suspended had already caused long traffic jams at peak times. Most of the city's workforce depends on public transport for daily travel. At noon, a thousand protesters moved to the central business district for a flash mob; law enforcement officers arrested a dozen. With the 260 people stopped yesterday, according to the police the number of arrests has exceeded 3 thousand since the beginning of the protests in June.