Hong Kong rioters dressed all in black, wearing helmets, goggles and gas masks set up a defensive line with shields and iron plates. They fired laser beams and floodlights at the police, throwing stones, bricks, umbrellas, petrol bombs and even gas canisters Photo: AFP

All of the 11 people who denied taking part in the illegal occupation of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University PolyU in November 2019 were found guilty by the Hong Kong District Court on Saturday. The verdict revealed for the first time details of police operations that night, including the "battle" in which 200 police officers fought 2,000 rioters with more than 250 petrol bombs in five hours. 

The scale and destruction of the riot were "unprecedented," the court said describing the scene, according to Hong Kong media. Also, a total of 213 rioters were arrested by the police that night, making it the most violent "battle" in the anti-violence campaign.

2,000 thugs dressed all in black, wearing helmets, goggles and gas masks set up a defensive line with shields and iron plates. They fired laser beams and floodlights at the police, throwing stones, bricks, umbrellas, petrol bombs and even gas canisters, according to media reports.

Violence flared on November 17, 2019, as PolyU turned into a warzone between protesters and police. The protesters set a police vehicle on fire with Molotov cocktails, hurled metal balls and shot arrows at police outside the campus.
 
The Hong Kong police said on November 29, 2019 that they seized nearly 4,000 petrol bombs, 1,400 pieces of explosives materials, 600 items containing corrosive liquids and 570 weapons during the two-day evidence-collection procedure at the PolyU.

As of November 29, 2019, 5,890 people have been arrested by the police in the months-long unrest in Hong Kong for illegal gatherings and riots, including 1,377 related to violent actions at the Polytechnic University, the Hong Kong police announced. During the same period, 483 Hong Kong police officers were injured when dealing with riots.

Some of the 11 defendants convicted on Saturday gave inconsistent statements and lied about the reason they were at the scene of the riot.

The judge said the defendants could not have entered the scene by mistake just moments before the police rounded them up, nor did the police not give them the opportunity and time to leave, and they chose to stay there. "The only reasonable inference is that the accused intended to engage in a riot," the judge added.

The case was adjourned until March 11 for sentencing, according to media reports.