From Campus to War Zone: Hong Kong Protest Timeline (Nov 15–24)
15 min readNov 25, 2019
The Hong Kong protest movement has largely been led by young students. Their schools have become the main battlefield.
On November 11th, the protesters initiated their “Blossom Everywhere” campaign, which was perceived to be a response to the death of 22-year-old Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student Alex Chow Tsz-Lok.
His death spurred vigils, strikes, and protests across the nation. So far, the motto of the protesters has been “Be Water”, adopted from Bruce Lee. In this spirit, protesters have been trying to ebb and flow throughout the territory, without any headquarters, leaders, or anything identifiable to attack.
In a rare departure from strategy, immediately following the “Blossom Everywhere” campaign, the protesters holed up inside a few different universities as the police entrapped them within, blocking entrances and exits.
This timeline begins with protesters setting up roadblocks on Friday, November 15th, and ends with District Council elections on Sunday, November 24th.
If I get anything wrong, please tell me! I’ve double-checked all information published, but information on protests is hard to come by, so mistakes can be made.
First, three things.
- A trusted friend of mine has established a GoFundMe going to help purchase medical supplies and gear to help protect protesters. He’s matching donations dollar-to-dollar and if the full $4,000 is raised, an extra $20,000 will be contributed by him and a third party. Simply put, this is the best way to give your dollar the strongest impact. Read the GoFundMe description to understand how this will all be verified.
- I wrote an article on ways to help Hong Kong. Check it out here.
- All information below is coming from the Guardians of Hong Kong newsfeed unless otherwise linked. For verification, visit their newsfeed on the dates listed.
Friday, November 15th:
- Protesters, led by students, took refuge in a variety of universities across Hong Kong and set up roadblocks by gluing bricks to the surrounding roads.
- Police block off a highway and fire off three canisters of tear gas at protesters along Nathan road without warning.
- On bridge no. 2 by CUHK, police advance on protesters, protesters fight back with petrol bombs and eventually scatter.
- Police advance on the protesters where roadblocks were set up along Nathan road, firing nonstop tear gas and warning gunshots.
- During this advance, police shout “Reporters are rioters!” and shoot a sponge grenade at a reporter simply recording the violence.
Saturday, November 16th:
- A group of pro-police supporters begins clearing away roadblocks near CUHK set by protesters, threatening protesters at the scene with steel rods, and forcefully pulling off some of their face masks.
- The Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Hong Kong Garrison began dismantling roadblocks set by protesters near Baptist University. According to Article 14 of Hong Kong Basic Law, the PLA is not allowed to interfere in the local affairs of Hong Kong unless specifically asked for assistance, which did not occur. The interference of the Chinese army in these protests is seen as a BIG deal.
“Military forces stationed by the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for defence shall not interfere in the local affairs of the Region. The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region may, when necessary, ask the Central People’s Government for assistance from the garrison in the maintenance of public order and in disaster relief.”
- Police arrive at Polytechnic University, (PolyU) including roughly 50 ‘raptors’ (The Special Tactical Squad of Hong Kong Police, named so for their viciousness) and begin launching tear gas toward the university as protesters respond with Molotov cocktails.
- Separately, pro-democracy District Council election candidate Solomon Chiang Man-Ching was ambushed and beaten by two anonymous men. He’s sent to the hospital with head and tailbone injuries.
- After retreating, police continued to fire tear gas at PolyU, advancing and eventually entering the premises.
Sunday, November 17th:
- The battle at PolyU continues into the morning with the incessant firing of tear gas and scattered Molotov cocktails thrown back by protesters.
- From 10 am-1 pm, police fire tear gas nonstop with some protesters reporting that police cheered and clapped as they blasted.
- City University of Hong Kong is evacuated. All students were told to leave their dormitories immediately.
- Police deploy vehicles armed with high-pressure water cannons and sonic cannons, which can cause tinnitus, loss of consciousness, and permanent hearing loss at close ranges, to PolyU. They threaten lethal force.
- The police march forward, firing tear gas, and blasting a blue dye liquid out of a water cannon, arresting dozens of protesters.
- All areas surrounding PolyU are invaded as police block all entrances and exits to the university, entrapping protesters. Tear gas is fired next to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where infirmed patients can be affected.
- Police are seen carrying rifles equipped with live rounds.
- Numerous reporters and first-aid responders are indiscriminately shot by rubber bullets and tear gas.
- Firemen attempt to put out the inferno at PolyU while under fire from police tear gas.
- More armored cars advance upon the university, police fire rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons to disperse crowds as protesters return fire with Molotov cocktails. Eventually, the armored cars catch on fire and police begin retreating.
- The police tell civilians, reporters, and first-aid workers to leave the university or “further actions” will be taken. Those inside the campus worry that if they leave they will be filmed and arrested. Previously, some protesters had attempted to leave and were all apprehended by police.
- A protest begins near PolyU to draw police attention away from the university. Tear gas is fired on umbrella-wielding protesters to initiate dispersion.
- Pro-democracy lawmakers, including Jeremy Tam, call on police to withdraw from PolyU and head toward the university to show their support for student protesters.
- Mass arrests are made in areas surrounding PolyU as sponge grenades, tear gas, and water cannons are fired at any attempted gatherings.
- Police threaten that they will attack PolyU with ‘full force’ at 10 pm. Some police yell at protesters, “Don’t go! I want another June 4th night.” This is a reference to the Tiananmen Square massacre which occurred on June 4th, 1989.
- Police fire significant amounts of tear gas at civilians in a traffic jam due to blocked roads. The protest has continued past midnight at this point.
- Reinforcements to police forces begin trickling in. Using tear gas, water cannons, sponge grenades, and rubber bullets, police begin to make progress against protesters, gaining further ground into PolyU.
- Pro-democracy lawmakers and the Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong attempt to negotiate a safe exit for young children stuck inside of PolyU, some as young as 11 years old. Police deny such a possibility.
- Molotov cocktails being used to push back police are made increasingly ineffective with the increased usage of water cannons.
- At this point, hundreds of police officers are engaged in two battles. One is with public protesters attempting to rescue entrapped students at PolyU, the other is with the protesters within PolyU.
- Desperation drives one protester to drive a bulldozer into a constant barrage of tear gas.
- Firemen and first-aiders come on to the scene and are again driven back by police with tear gas and threats.
- The crowd gains progress pushing back the police as they attempt to penetrate the cordon.
- Three gunshots are heard and police scare off some protesters with guns containing live ammo.
- An ambulance arrives on the scene, but policemen emerge from the inside of it to attack protesters.
- At this point, at least 100 have been injured. 17 and 18 year-olds have been hit in the eye by rubber bullets. People are suffering from hypothermia due to the pernicious usage of water cannons.
- Raptor special units enter PolyU through the main entrance.
- After a nonstop tear gas onslaught, large groups of police officers have broken through the line at PolyU. Raptors begin attacking and arresting protesters inside the university.
- As the campus burns, raptor reinforcements arrive.
- As police continue to attack and make arrests, their advance is repelled by petrol bombs and Molotov cocktails from protesters.
Monday, November 18th:
- Firemen are able to put out some fires on nearby bridges and inside the university.
- The police deny invading PolyU and claim that they were only arresting protesters located on nearby roads.
- According to some reports, there are still scattered riot police making arrests inside of PolyU. A note is spotted next to a pool of blood in a medic’s area inside of the university which reads, “Sorry! We had to enter your room because the riot police are coming!”
- The president of PolyU, J.G. Teng, releases a video statement claiming that the police ensured him that there would be no proactive attack on the university. He urges citizens to leave and offers to go with arrestees to the police station to ensure that they are treated fairly. Police promise to allow protesters to leave peacefully.
- Reports from the clashes of the late-night and early morning begin to trickle in. There are stories of reporters, medics, and civilians being beaten and arrested.
- Some protesters attempt to run out of the campus and retreat toward the Hong Kong Museum of History, but riot police fire tear gas canisters, forcing them back into the university, breaking their promise to allow protesters to leave peacefully.
- The PolyU Student Union President, Derek Liu states that dozens are injured on campus, including around 3 wounded in the eye, and 40 suffering from hypothermia. Since medics have been arrested by police and prevented from entering, these injured students are subsisting on meager supplies.
- A crowd of students attempt to peacefully leave at the front entrance, however, police again break their commitment and fire tear gas at the protesters, forcing them back into the school.
- Police rush out of a building where they were guarding a public garden, and arrest nearly one hundred people at Chinachem Golden Plaza.
- Three civilians leave PolyU and are immediately arrested.
- Radio Television Hong Kong reports that 24 people between the ages of 16 and 84 arrived at the hospital after last night’s battle. 4 are in severe condition.
- Over 50 civilians are arrested en masse outside New Mandarin Plaza.
- Journalists are told to go to a designated area to relay information to colleagues safely. Once they reach the area, police point guns their way and order them to leave PolyU or face arrest.
- Civilians attempt to rush through Science Museum Road and escape PolyU, a police officer holds a pistol in his hand and tells them not to advance any further.
- A crowd gathers to move police away from PolyU. They set up roadblocks using bricks and bamboo, and are driven back by police deploying tear gas, and wielding batons, riot shields, and shotguns.
- Police again tell protesters that they will be allowed to leave peacefully if they exit through the B/C core with no face masks and weapons. When civilians attempted to leave, riot police fired tear gas, chased them down and arrested them.
- Police use this opening to deploy water cannons and tear gas to advance on the university campus.
- The High Court of Hong Kong rules that the face mask ban is unconstitutional and can no longer be enforced.
- A crowd of protesters again attempt to rush out of the university. They are again fired upon by police and forced back into campus.
- Reports from inside PolyU paint a devastating picture. Hundreds are entrapped, nearly a quarter are injured in some way, they are nearly out of food, water, vital medical supplies, and weapons. They have no petrol bombs, Molotov cocktails, or arrows left.
- Some protesters attempt to break into the university to help those trapped within. Police fire tear gas at them, two are arrested and the rest disperse.
- A mass number of civilians protesting outside PolyU are arrested, including first-aid personnel.
- A group of first-aid workers from the Red Cross are allowed to enter PolyU by police and can treat some protesters.
- Two protesters attempt to escape by climbing on a bridge to leave campus but are stopped by police. They put their hands up to surrender, and police fire tear gas at the surrendering students.
- Protesters form a human supply chain to deliver supplies to PolyU.
- The police hold a press conference and release statistics. They say that 4491 people have been arrested since June, ranging from age 11 to 83. This weekend, 154 have been arrested, from ages 13 to 54. On Friday and Saturday, 142 tear gas canisters were fired, 52 rubber bullets were used, and 8 sponge grenades were fired. The tallies from Sunday are still being processed. These numbers are doubted by protesters.
- The PolyU Student Union reports that 500–600 protesters are still stuck inside of PolyU.
- The police dispute the claim that they entered PolyU without permission. They also say that they did not tell protesters to exit peacefully and then fire tear gas. They claim that the clouds on campus were caused by fire, not gas.
- The counter-terrorism branch of the Chinese PLA is seen on the streets of Hong Kong. These soldiers have carried out assassinations and executions of Muslims in the Xinjiang province and have also assisted the Assad regime in Syria.
- Secondary school principals head into PolyU to support the roughly 100 secondary school students entrapped within.
- Crowds begin to gather and protest in areas surrounding PolyU as the sun sets. Police deploy armored cars, tear gas, and water cannons.
- Parents of entrapped students participate in a silent sit-in along a nearby road.
- Protesters advance toward PolyU against the police cordon. Police deploy tear gas at a higher dosage than previously used.
- As they advance, numerous gunshots are heard, and police threaten unarmed civilians with AR-15s.
- A group of one hundred social workers asks to enter PolyU and help injured students. Their request is denied.
- Protesters continue to push toward PolyU, withstanding a barrage of rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannons.
- Reinforcements arrive, and police attempt to advance. Their advance on the protesters is met with multiple Molotov cocktails fired their way.
- By this point, tens of thousands of protesters have gathered in surrounding streets.
- As riot police push against protesters, a stampede ensues. 20–30 are arrested, some with multiple bone fractures.
- In multiple areas around the university, groups of protesters push forward with roadblocks and Molotov cocktails and are thrown back by tear gas, pepper pellets, and rubber bullets. This scene repeats itself for hours.
- 42 injured protesters inside of PolyU are arrested by police.
- The group of secondary school principals who had previously entered PolyU now exit with a group of secondary school students. At the moment, police do not arrest the minors, but take down their information, reserving the right to charge them at a later point. Yet, some within that group are over the age of 18. They are immediately arrested.
- Video is shown of three police vans driving into a crowd of civilians.
- Police appear to be making progress against protests, with nearly 60 arrested along Pitt street, and 11 arrested on a rooftop. By this point, it’s nearly 4 am in the morning and most protesters have dispersed.
Tuesday, November 19th:
- Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong issues a press conference after the clash at PolyU. She says that 600 have left the campus, and 400 have been arrested. 100 remain trapped inside.
- Further reports are delivered of police arresting reporters and medical workers.
- More videos surface of police vehicles ramming into crowds.
- Protesters attempt to escape PolyU in the sewers but are unsuccessful.
- The police hold a press conference detailing that they used 1458 tear gas canisters, 1391 rubber bullets, 325 beanbag bullets, and 265 sponge grenade rounds on November 18th.
- Several men remove protesters roadblocks and threaten protesters with axes and baseball bats.
- The staff of Red Cross fears to exit PolyU, as police have stated that any who exit will be charged with rioting.
- A group of protesters exits PolyU and is arrested.
Wednesday, November 20th:
- After passing the House with only one dissenting vote, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passes the U.S. Senate with a unanimous majority.
- A lunch flashmob forms and protests peacefully. Police threaten protesters, but ultimately do not push back.
- Secretary of Security, John Lee Ka-Chiu states that police may lawfully enter any premise in Hong Kong without a warrant or consent if they need to deal with ‘illegal activities’.
Thursday, November 21st:
- Spark Alliance, a fund helping protesters with supplies and legal fees, announces that it can no longer receive donations through HSBC as their corporate bank account was shut down.
- Beijing expresses strong opposition to the United States’ Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Government officials accuse the U.S. of meddling in their internal affairs.
- The Education Bureau states its opposition to students participating in any protests. Some schools state that students who protest will face disciplinary action.
- Hundreds gather to commemorate the four-month anniversary of an allegedly pro-Beijing attack by members of the Triad on protesters.
- As the commemoration protest continues into the night, police are deployed and begin to threaten protesters with pepper spray.
- Allegedly, many civilians were arrested at this time. Reporters were not allowed past the police cordon.
Friday, November 22nd:
- Throughout these past few days, some protesters, reporters, social workers, and medics have voluntarily left PolyU and been arrested. An unknown number remain.
- The Hong Kong High Court announces that police can enforce the mask ban for the next seven days, despite it being ruled unconstitutional.
- In a press conference, Hong Kong police chief, Chris Tang Ping Keung, states that even though many protesters have said that they were assaulted by police officers, that this is a common claim, and will be pursued justly.
Saturday, November 23rd:
- Many polling locations for the November 24th District Council elections are changed with no notice to voters.
- Hundreds of parents and children protest the use of tear gas which is poisoning their communities.
- Lennon walls across Hong Kong, which have been used to display news and updates about protests, as well as information about candidates, are torn down by government officials ahead of the elections.
- A police officer who drove a motorcycle into crowds, and a police officer who shot two students, aged 19 and 21, were both placed on leave. No charges were filed against them.
Sunday, November 24th:
- As the elections begin, pro-Beijing media outlets publish lists of candidates who should not be supported. They’re nearly entirely pro-democracy candidates.
- Simon Cheng, a Hong Kong citizen who was employed at the UK consulate was arrested in August and sent to mainland China. There, he reported being beaten and forced to hold uncomfortable positions during intense interrogation. Before being tortured, a secret services officer told him ‘There are no human rights’.
- Simon Cheng also reports seeing Hong Kong citizens being arrested and interrogated in the mainland. He is currently seeking asylum.
- As voting ensues, there are widespread reports of voter intimidation by police and vote farming by pro-Beijing candidates, in clear violation of election law.
- Multiple voters upon entering the polling place are told that they already voted despite having just arrived at the polling location.
- Reports surface of Hong Kong students studying at mainland Chinese universities being told by faculty in a private meeting that they should vote for the pro-Beijing candidate in their region, and being offered a bus back to Hong Kong to vote.
- It is estimated that roughly 10 protesters remain trapped inside of PolyU. It has been 8 days since they entered.
- Multiple pro-Beijing candidates are seen giving gifts to potential voters outside of polling stations.
- Multiple pro-Beijing candidates drive buses to neighborhoods and transport voters to polling locations.
- A large number of citizens queued up outside where votes were counted to ensure a fair count.
- The BBC reports that nearly 2.9 million had voted at the most recent count. That’s nearly twice as many who voted last year.
- Police are seen bringing in ballot boxes to vote count locations. They claim that they are votes from hospitals and prisons.
- At last count, pro-democracy parties swept the election. At 451/452 seats counted, 389 pro-democracy candidates were elected in comparison to 62 pro-Beijing candidates.
- Roughly 2.94 million turned out to the polls, nearly twice as many as the 1.47 who turned out at the last election in 2015. Voter turnout was 71.2% of the population, the highest rate in Hong Kong history.
Thanks to GuardiansofHK for their newsfeed. If you’re interested in real-time updates on the process, check out their Telegram channel on their website.
I plan on dropping a short post later this week discussing why district council elections matter for Hong Kong. Stay tuned!
#StandwithHK
