Spokesman Rupert Colville urged Hong Kong authorities to de-escalate the situation at the Polytechnic University - where about 100 protesters are holed up - and address the humanitarian situation of those inside "which is clearly deteriorating."
Hong Kong's embattled leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday she hoped the standoff between police and a group of anti-government protesters at the university could be resolved and she had told police to handle it humanely.
