Media Releases

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (1:45pm)

PolyU resumed its search for the remaining people on campus at 9:30am this morning, following yesterday's endeavours. Manpower for the teams has been enhanced to 100, from about 50 yesterday, and comprises Vice Presidents, Faculty Deans, teachers, counsellors, healthcare professionals and social workers. Working in nine teams, they searched for remaining people and inspected the condition of and damage to various offices and laboratory facilities. Despite their greatest efforts in searching every floor and every room of all buildings, the teams cannot find any people remaining this morning. The search ended at noon today. Inspection onsite revealed that a great number of facilities on campus, including many laboratories, have been vandalised to various extents, and that some chemicals and dangerous goods are missing. A number of research projects will have to be halted, which will seriously affect the teaching and research of the University. Over the past two days, the University has done all it can to ensure that anyone remaining on campus could leave peacefully. The University requests the Police to remove the cordon around our campus immediately, so that we can start our restoration work at once. The University gratefully thanks all colleagues and collaborating partners who have participated in the search on campus. The University appeals to anyone who may still be remaining on campus, or their relatives or friends, to contact our team directly by calling 55136392. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (1:00pm)

As at 1pm today, the six teams sent by PolyU to enter the campus have searched four buildings. No remaining people were found. But the team members found every floor to have been vandalised to a varied extent, with dangerous goods and petrol bombs lying around. The teams will continue their search. The University management advises all team members to take care of their personal safety. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (10:00am)

PolyU sent six teams to enter the campus at 9:30am today. The teams comprised about 50 members include teachers, counsellors, healthcare professionals, social workers and security staff members. The hygiene conditions on campus this morning appear to have further deteriorated. The teams will search every floor of all buildings on campus for any remaining people. The University hopes to complete the search within today. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (4:00pm)

PolyU has added one more team, bringing the total to seven, to continue the search for the remaining people on campus this afternoon. As at 4:00pm today, the teams have searched most of the buildings, including the Library and the carparks. They found a female adult, who appeared physically weak and emotionally unstable. The Hong Kong Red Cross first-aid team provided her with immediate onsite medical care, and PolyU counsellors are putting in great efforts to persuade her to leave the campus. During their search, the team members found that all buildings on campus have been vandalised to various extents. The Library is severely flooded. Many cars, including University vehicles, inside the carparks have been damaged, a number with the fuel tanks forced open. The teams also found dangerous goods and petrol bombs located inside buildings and in various other places on campus. Out of concern that there may be more people remaining on campus, the University management has decided to resume the search tomorrow morning, and will consider enhancing manpower for the task. The University sincerely thanks all the team members for their hard work. The University also appeals to people remaining on campus to contact our team directly by calling 55136392. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (11:45pm)

PolyU has been using different means and channels to persuade people who are still on the campus to leave in a peaceful and orderly manner as soon as possible. PolyU will send several small teams to enter the campus tomorrow in order to search for people staying inside and to verify their conditions. Once found, the team members will put in the greatest efforts to persuade them to leave immediately in a peaceful manner. The teams will include counsellors, healthcare professionals, social workers, teachers and security staff members. PolyU hopes that the Police cordon can be removed as soon as possible, so that restoration work can begin at once for restoring the normal operation of the University as early as possible. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Campus Update II: Safety and Security

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today issued an email on "Campus Update (II): Safety and Security" to its students, staff and alumni. Please refer to the details in the attachment.

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (5:50pm)

Considering the current tension, the University Management has contacted the Police again and sternly requested them to allow those who are still on the campus to leave peacefully by just recording their identities. PolyU hopes that the Police cordon could be removed at the earliest possible so that normal activity could be resumed on campus. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Ir Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Ir Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2:15pm)

In view of the increasingly dangerous environment on PolyU campus, as well as the deteriorating health and emotional condition of those remaining inside, during a meeting this afternoon with the Police, the University Management reiterated its appeal for the Police to arrange for those willing to leave to be able to do so in a peaceful and humane manner. Allowing them to leave by simply registering their identities could be one feasible solution to the ongoing stalemate. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Ir Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Ir Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

Statement by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (11:45am)

The campus of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) was occupied by protesters on 13 November (Wednesday) and was cordoned off by the Police on 17 November (Sunday). As a result, PolyU was forced to announce a full suspension of classes and the rest of its normal operation. In the afternoon of 18 November (Monday), the University obtained agreement from the Police that they would not attempt to enter the campus for a temporary period. PolyU immediately connected with various sectors of the community to enter the campus and persuade those remaining on the campus to leave in a peaceful and orderly manner. As of today, more than 1,000 people, including about 300 secondary school students have left the campus peacefully. Amongst them, to the best of our knowledge, there are about 50 are PolyU students. Currently the campus is in a chaotic state, with debris, petrol bombs and dangerous chemicals scattered around the campus, which pose a considerable threat to personal safety. The hygiene conditions and air quality are also unsatisfactory, adversely threatening the health of those on the campus and those wanting to enter the campus, such as ambulance crew and social workers. It is estimated that only some tens of people remain on campus. PolyU will continue to convince these people to leave peacefully through different channels and methods. The University also urges the Government to immediately adopt a peaceful and humanitarian approach in order to help persuade and arrange for those remaining to leave the campus. We also request that the Police cordon be removed as soon as possible and the campus be returned to the University so that restoration work can begin. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Dr LAM Tai-Fai, Council Chairman Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Deputy President and Provost Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President Mr Andy TONG, Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) Ir Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development) Ir Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) Statement

In view of the prevailing cordoning-off of the PolyU campus, and facilities on campus being extensively and severely vandalized, in considering the personal safety of PolyU staff members, the University has earlier decided to extend office suspension until 1 December 2019 (Sunday). Staff should stay away from the campus, and are expected to work from home as far as practicable. The University will later decide on the need for further extending the office suspension, as well as the work arrangements for staff members, taking into account the developments of the issue and the environmental situations of the campus.