US condemns 'unjustified use of force' as clashes escalate in Hong Kong

The United States has voiced its disagreement with the unrest prevailing in Hong Kong saying it 'condemns the unjustified use of force' and called out Beijing to protect the freedom of the city on November 17. As per reports, a senior official from the White House administration urged both sides to refrain from violence and engage in 'constructive dialogue', as the violence escalated between the police forces who battled the demonstrators at Hong Kong university. While the law enforcement was firing tear gas, the protesters resort to medieval weapons like bows and arrows. A senior official also said that the President of US Donald Trump expects Beijing to 'honor its commitments under the Sino-British joint Declaration' and protect the rights of people. 

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Clashes at the university

On November 18, the Hong Kong police breached the university which was held by protesters early morning after seizing it for the night. The police officials repeatedly fired barrages of tear gas along with water cannons. Reportedly, the pro-democracy demonstrators have barricaded themselves inside the university for several days and the police began moving in on Sunday after issuing an ultimatum for the people to leave the area. The people were seen wearing raincoats and carrying umbrellas in order to protect themselves. 

 

The overnight clashes at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University resumed in the morning of November 17 with police officials firing tear gas to hold out the protesters while the demonstrators used weapons like bows and arrows, catapults, and hundreds of gasoline bombs. The devices which are mostly made by students are denoted by the police authorities as lethal weapons and cautioned the protesters that they will get prosecuted if the authorities catch them. However, protesters feel that they need to protect the campus against the Hong Kong law enforcement who use tear gas, pepper spray as well as water cannons. 

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Protests continue for the sixth month

As the city witnesses sixth month of the anti-government protests which have grown increasingly violent even as they have shrunk in size, often causing chaos in the streets of the city of 7.5 million people. The chaotic scenes of the explosion, gun fires, smoke plumes left scores of students injured. The police said that the protestors hurled debris and petrol bombs in a nearby highway linking the Northern New Territories with Kowloon, bringing traffic to a halt in a haze of tear gas smoke. The lawmakers of the city condemned the actions of the police and said that the continuous firing of tear gas has turned the university campus into a battlefield. Tensions initially escalated due to the death of a young man who fell from a multi-story car parking during the clashes with the police.

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(With inputs from agencies)