State media slams a letter from CU student union for beautifying violence

The Student Union of The Chinese University of Hong Kong wrote a letter to freshmen, saying they should continue the spirit of resistance. State media slams the letter for beautifying and normalizing violence.

CUSU posted the letter to their Facebook page on August 13, to call for the new students to cherish the campus.

CUSU reminded freshmen that the reason CUHK remains to have beautiful scenery is because students and Hongkongers have defended the university by using their body to “resist bullets and water cannon.”

CUSU wrote that students should personally experience the spirit of  ‘humanism’ and pass it on, as well as continue the spirit of resistance. 

Xinhua News Agency - China state media - criticized that the letter has beautified and normalized violence. The media wrote CUHK has suffered from last year’s anti-extradition movement, and it has now turned into a ‘dead city’ because of it.

State media said the use of violence is not able to promote the spirit of humanism.

“Respect for the humanistic spirit is by no means an excuse for individuals to harm the public interest with their selfish desires, encouraging academic freedom is by no means advocating secession and damaging the freedom of Hong Kong,” state media wrote.