Police Commissioner Tang Ping-keung meets the press in Hong Kong on Nov 22, 2019.

The Hong Kong Police Force will guard local polling stations with a “high-profile presence” to ensure the public safety during Sunday’s District Council elections, Hong Kong’s police chief said on Friday.

Police Commissioner Chris Tang Ping-keung urged protesters not to resort to violence or voter harassment, saying “these actions are against 7 million people of Hong Kong”

Police Commissioner Chris Tang Ping-keung urged protesters not to resort to violence or voter harassment, saying “these actions are against 7 million people of Hong Kong.”

At a media briefing on Friday morning, Tang said police will ensure public security and the order of polling stations, and sufficient manpower will be deployed at polling stations on Sunday. The force will also be on patrol near polling stations to prevent attempts to disrupt the election.

If there is any violence, the police force will deal with it immediately, without hesitation, he said.

The police have made different plans for potential emergencies, said Tang.

READ MORE: HK govt sparing no effort in preparing for district election

Barnabas Fung Wah, chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission, announced on Tuesday that four polling stations near the major universities were relocated after a risk assessment.

Fung appealed to protesters not to affect the rights of other people when expressing their views and opinions.

Polling will take place on Sunday, and more than 600 ordinary polling stations and 23 dedicated polling stations will be open for over 4.13 million electors listed on the 2019 Final Register to cast their votes. In balloting, 1,090 validly nominated candidates will compete for the 452 seats in the 18 districts.

Police want peaceful resolution to PolyU standoff

Tang on Friday also reiterated the force's desire to peacefully resolve the standoff at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Although the past week has been difficult and dangerous for the police, the officers have showcased their fearlessness, Police Commissioner Tang Ping-keung said

Tang called on the remaining 100 or so protesters who are still occupying the PolyU campus to come out and surrender to the police.

Tang reiterated the police force's promise not to arrest those under the age of 18 for now. Minors will be allowed to leave after police record their personal information.

Arrestees, as always, will be treated fairly, Tang added.

The campus is very dangerous at the moment, with a lot of explosives, including gasoline bombs, scattered about, Tang said.

READ MORE: HK police: Rioters try to kill officers

"You don't want your family, friends, and people coming to visit you to worry about you," he told the resisters.

The PolyU campus has been occupied and used as a stronghold by radical protesters since Nov 15. Police sealed off the university on Sunday night and announced that all the occupiers on campus were participating in a riot, and asked them to leave the campus and surrender to police.

An indoor area in Hong Kong Polytechnic University is seen littered with metal barricades, bricks, furniture items and assorted trash in the morning of Nov 18, 2019. (PHOTO / CHINA DAILY)

As of Wednesday, about 1,000 people had left the campus peacefully. About 300 of them were younger than 18, according to the police.

It is believed that about 100 hard-core protesters are still on the campus.

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Although the past week has been difficult and dangerous for the police, the officers have showcased their fearlessness, Tang said. Some officers have worked more than 30 hours straight. Some faced attacks of hundreds of gasoline bombs, bricks, and metal balls, he added.

Among the injured officers during the PolyU standoff was a police officer with the Police Public Relations Branch, who on Sunday was struck in the calf by an arrow shot by a rioter.