Tensions are escalating in Hong Kong as clashes between police and protesters stretch into their fifth month.

Over the weekend, protesters bunkered down in the Polytechnic University campus.

Police stormed the campus before dawn this morning, threatening to use live rounds to deter protesters.

It is unclear whether they followed through with their threats, but they did successfully move in on the campus.

Protesters reportedly set fire to the university entrance in an attempt to hold the police back, and fired arrows at police, while police fired rubber pellets, and used water cannons and tear gas on protesters.

When a large group of protesters later attempted to leave the campus, police fired round after round of tear gas, forcing them back into the university, which is burning.

Morning has broken in #HongKong at Poly U and it’s an awful start – at least hundreds of students are inside that campus… which is on fire. Small explosions every minute. The middle of the campus is quite open so hopefully students can take refuge there pic.twitter.com/4wb95bRUh4

— Bill Birtles (@billbirtles) November 18, 2019

Owan Li, a student at Polytechnic University, described the conflict as “the most serious battle in the last five months”.

“This morning the police force started a war.

“I would say this war is a war that’s very similar to what happened 30 years ago in Tiananmen Square,” he told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

“They fired the tear gas and also the rubber pellets, and they get into the campus and have fights with the protesters, with our university students inside.

“I think this is a humanitarian disaster in Hong Kong now.”

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Image: Ye Aung Thu