In a statement issued on November 19, 2019, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed "deepening concern" at the situation in Hongkong and "increasing violence by groups of young people engaging in the protests who are clearly very angry, with deep-seated grievances". It also said "The vast majority of the people of Hong Kong have been exercising their right of freedom of assembly peacefully and in accordance with the law – and the authorities have by and large respected the exercise of this right". Refering to the Hongkong Polytechnic University it urged authorities to deescalate and facilitate a peaceful resolution. It also urged "the Government to strengthen its efforts to bring together all sectors of society, including student groups, business community, political leaders, community leaders and others in a truly inclusive dialogue in order to find peaceful solutions to the grievances raised by a significant number of Hong Kong citizens", while insisting that "accountability for violence is also key" regardless of whether offenders are students or police.

(Comment: Many in Hongkong have objected to the sentence that "The vast majority of the people of Hong Kong have been exercising their right of freedom of assembly peacefully and in accordance with the law – and the authorities have by and large respected the exercise of this right", saying that the authorities never gave permission for the protests.)