This was the scene outside the Chinese university students setting up barricades in surrounding streets.

At least one car set on fire.

Students have thrown rocks at riot police, who responded with volleys of tear gas.

We've also heard that a highway nearby has been blocked because off the demonstrations earlier also disruption to train services when a line was reportedly blocked by objects placed upon the tracks.

So a lot of disturbance all focusing around this campus.

The Chinese University in Hong Kong.

I've been hearing more from our correspondent Robin Brent.

Yes, and what's unusual about what's happening now in this area of Hong Kong is not, unfortunately, the fact that you have a violent confrontation at times between police and protesters.

Not the fact you're having tear gas being used rubber bullets on petrol bombs as well.

But it's the fact that the confrontation in the last few hours is centered on the campus off Chinese university here.

That hasn't happened in the five or so months that we've had this level of demonstration, this level of protest here in Kong.

That's what makes this different.

The other thing as well that I think, is evidence of the growing change in the nature of the confrontation here is that this is happening in the middle of the working week.

Much of the focus in the past has been around big organized events.

At weekends we have protest demonstrations.

Sometimes they have been followed by a violent confrontation between police and protesters as the night goes on.

But it's Ah, Tuesday night here in Hong Kong, and we're seeing dramatic images of police confronting students on the campus off one of Hong Kong's most prestigious universities.

That's not really something we've seen before, but I think is you said the last 48 hours in particular have seen a definite escalation in the confrontation here.

We saw a record number of arrests on Monday, some 287 in one day.

That's the highest level we've had, according to the police.

On that, followed on from the shooting of a man in the chest at point blank range, the third person to be shot by police since these protests began, back in June on that led to a huge amount of tension.

I think what we're seeing on Chinese University campus tonight is probably associated with the aftermath of that.

We're also seeing Robin.

Some reports coming through of the protest groups gathering at City University is not just at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Tell us something more about the role off students.

I mean, ever since the days of the first umbrella protest, students have bean part of the backbone of the movement.

But they haven't been.

Look the arrests, which now right into the several 1000 range, according to the police, from people ages 12 to those aged in their early eighties that gives you a scope off the different types of people that have been included in these protests.

But you know, back bone is the young is high school students is part of the student population here that was the same back in 2014 with the umbrella movement.

Then it appears to be the same this time round.

That is, the young who are the tip of the spear, so to speak, in terms off the protests.

In terms of those perhaps the leading the most violent confrontation with the police.

There may be some within the police.

You look to some of the action yesterday when they focused on moving into some of the dormitories at Chinese University.

There may be some who believe that they need to be more aggressive now in taking on those among the student population who they believe are behind these protests, which are now into the six months.

Well, Robin Brunt, they're talking about the police, perhaps believing they need to be more aggressive.

We've just seen your washing the live pictures.

We've just in another for lance off riot police with their shields up, advancing on students.

But you can also.

I mean, you can tell how much chaos there is with these fires blazing in different parts off the campus, police and students still facing often at this moment.

In just the last hour, I've been talking to the pro democracy campaigner Joshua Wong about what is happening at the Chinese University.

Even the principal off Chinese university was fired by the T against off riot police, and the government missed off, stopped firing a student.

Now they just turned a campus into a war zone you have, said Joshua.

If we lose this fight, we lose our last breath of freedom.

Are you seeing this particular moment as especially important?

Student gator inside the campers is totally illegal.

Any kind of challenge from the government.

I see no reason for the riot.

Police told me to the campus fired tear gas and multiple rubber bullet.

Especially now more and more students injured in a clash and also even loss of teacher, professor, scholar or the wise chancellor are targeted by the riot police.

And now I believe, is the time for the world to watch on it and respond to the ward that cloud by home, constant riot police in this university.

This is happening a day after Carrie Lam said.

The protesters are the enemy of the people.

Hong Kong government is murdering student.

That's the fact that crystal clear experience and off, sir while or witness by holding people Joshua one.

It's no, it's not one side.

It is it because when you looked at what happened yesterday, we also saw that appalling image of a man set a light after arguing with a crowd off protesters.

The violence is happening both ways, the violence is escalating, Clash and vowed is escalating.

That's the fact.

But if use new moving protester are more violent, look at how police is turning university into a war zone is not surprised by how riot police clear people occupy on the street.

But what's wrong for student?

Get her inside the campers and just having the peaceful assembly but being fired by uncountable number off bullets.

And that's what we experience.

And I hope more social leaders around the world, no matter what they live or served Hong Kong or not.

If they care about Hong Kong, they should ask the government to stop the murder now.

Otherwise the bloodshed will be far more escalated than our imagination.

Blood is being shared.

The tear gas is being fired.

Rubber bullets are being fired.

We've had live rounds fired.

We've talked about that this week.

If the students don't stand down, if they stay, we're looking at the live pictures.

Now on the campus of the Chinese University.

Those students are putting their lives in danger.

Now is the riot Police put student life in danger.

Student just hope to have the police assembly inside the campus, and I think there's no reason on none off the ground to blame on those victim.

And now we just hope people to realize that call university is not a public area that could freely allow police storm into it.

And even the wise chancellor hoped to have the negotiation with the commander during the protests own.

But police, just with theories were feels it and even the watch chancellor is affected by the T against, which is really insane.

Who can imagine even those kind of social leader or upper class village in the society will still be incarnated by the riot police, which just broke that the term university into war.

So and be a police state.

Joshua Wong speaking to me just a little earlier.

Look at the live pictures we're showing you now.

This is the students or protesters stoking the fires, building the barricades.

We're watching them throw anything that they can get their hands on onto the fires, not a situation that seems to be de escalating.

We have also been sharing you in the last few minutes, the numbers off riot police there on campus at the Chinese University of Hong Kong I do want to say to the earlier today.

Earlier on Tuesday before this flared up, a police spokesman said.

Off the protesters, there are countless examples of riot is using random and indiscriminate violence against innocent people.

The spokesman, Kong Wen chung, said Hong Kong's rule of law has been pushed to the brink off total collapse.