Last night in Tweets: How social media told the story of Hong Kong’s most recent Occupy clashes

By Coconuts Hong Kong

Oct 15, 2014 | 7:56am Hong Kong time

Police and pro-democracy demonstrators clashed last night in what has been the most violent surge in the Occupy Hong Kong protests since the uprising first began on Sept. 28.

Activists took over the tunnel on Lung Wo Road in Admiralty at around 11pm last night after their protest site on the road parallel was cleared by police as part of a two-day operation to remove barricades. A standoff ensued, finally resolving after violent scuffles, arrests and pepper spray at around 3:30am this morning. The road has now been cleared, and police have announced that 37 men and eight women have been arrested.

If you missed all the action because you were in bed like a normal person, here’s what happened, courtesy of that wonderful thing called Twitter. (Psst: follow Coconuts HK here.)

"We Engineer Hong Kong's Development." Protesters hurry to put up barricades to block Lung Wo Road, Admiralty. pic.twitter.com/m1MRjz2eRe

— Alan Wong (@byAlanWong) October 14, 2014

Hong Kong protesters fight back and claim new ground. Watch here: http://t.co/fjtvyAiaKD pic.twitter.com/M6BBXeB2Rc

— Eva Tam (@evatam) October 14, 2014

CNN: Hong Kong protesters surprise with tactical victory http://t.co/fssCYMKc6W pic.twitter.com/kUm1V9bwYe

— Wilfred Chan (@wilfredchan) October 14, 2014

Protesters ready under umbrellas for police to move on them Hong Kong pic.twitter.com/261a3840Yr

— Alex Ogle (@Alex_Ogle) October 14, 2014

BREAKING: Police charge protestors in Hong Kong, use pepper spray again, utter chaos: pic.twitter.com/E5Eb5V4omM photo via @SCMP_News

— Mary Kissel (@marykissel) October 14, 2014

Front line of protesters in #HongKong wearing goggles, masks, ponchos to protect from police pepper spray, tear gas pic.twitter.com/csoNuEQjzn

— Keith Bradsher (@KeithBradsher) October 14, 2014

Lots of angry people now. next layer of barricades would be even bigger mess for police to get through. hong kong 4am pic.twitter.com/trhZlZe2ua

— Alex Ogle (@Alex_Ogle) October 14, 2014

TIME: Hong Kong Police Clear Protesters Out of Tunnel: Hundreds of Hong Kong police officers moved in early We… http://t.co/3ROXaArcDn

— Hong Kong Stream (@hkstream) October 14, 2014

So quiet on Hong Kong barricades now people are snoring. This girl is writing "Fight for democracy" pic.twitter.com/QUqxf9w3xX

— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) October 14, 2014