PolyU starts new term despite damaged facilities

The heavily damaged Hong Kong Polytechnic University began its spring semester on Monday as scheduled — even as repairs continue on facilities that were damaged during radical protesters' occupation of the campus in mid-November.

Those entering the campus, located in Hung Hom, now must go through a strict security clearance. Some damaged buildings are blocked with wooden planks. Damage from arson and anti-government graffiti are still visible.

During a media tour of the campus, a school representative said that about 10 percent of its facilities are still closed, but did not say when the repairs will be finished or how much they will cost.

Two blocks near Entrance A remain closed for sterilization and repair work. School employees who used to work in the buildings were relocated. Meanwhile, the five-story library is open only on the fourth and fifth floors because of water damage caused by protesters who set off the building's fire sprinklers.

The three footbridges connecting the campus to the Hung Hom MTR station also remain closed because they were severely burned by rioters' gasoline bombs.

Other facilities requiring extensive repairs include the glass House of Innovation, a swimming pool, and a Starbucks coffee shop.

Jessie Cheung, a 20-year-old local student of the school, said she is delighted the school is returning to normal operations. However, other signs of the protests still remain, such as the graffiti.

She said these remind people what happened and that things are still tense.

In November, hardcore radicals descended on the university, fortifying themselves there and then fighting pitched battles with police near the entrances. After police gained control of the campus, they closed it for nearly two weeks for safety reasons. Police lifted the ban and handed over the campus to university management on Nov 29.