Police Search PolyU Student Union In Riot Probe

Police investigating last year's clashes at the Polytechnic University searched a room used by the university's student union at the Hung Hom campus on Friday afternoon, before leaving with five computers.

The student union had known about the police action the night before. In a Facebook post, the union said police had a warrant to search the campus on Friday in relation to an alleged case of rioting on November 17, when fierce clashes took place between activists holed up inside the university, and police who had surrounded the entire campus.

Union president Michael Ng had initially refused to allow the police in when they arrived at around noon, and asked the officers to show their warrants.

The officers eventually entered a room at the Shaw Amenities Building after discussions with staff.

Ng and some legal advisers were reportedly present during the search, which took more than an hour, with officers leaving the campus at 2:30pm.

Speaking to reporters later on Friday, Ng said that the legal basis for the search warrant was "slim", saying that the warrant did not provide a specific location and on only listed "The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong".