University of Hong Kong tears down messages on the democracy wall in campus

The University of Hong Kong has tore all materials displayed on the democracy wall and outside students' union building today, according to its student publications Campus TV and Undergrad.

The student publications reported that around 20 security guards and staff of the university's estates office removed all posters and banners on the democracy wall and at the students' union building, as well as other students' union's notice boards outside the Knowles Building and in the lobby of Leung Kau Kui Building.

All materials have been removed by noon.

According to photos on their Facebook pages, posters and banners being removed contain messages such as “Hongkongers, resist!”, “never forgive the Hong Kong police”, “HKU fawns on the communist party”, and a poster called for a boycott of the MTR.

It was reported that the Dean of Student Affairs, Samson Tse Shu-ki was present and said removing the materials was a follow-up operation after the university said it will take back the offices and facilities used by the students' union in April.

Tse also said he will not throw away the posters and banners, and will contact the students' union to see how to handle the materials.

HKU has cut ties with the student union (HKUSU) in April as it “strongly condemned” the union's “radical acts and remarks”, added the union's actions bring legal risks to the university.

Apart from enforcing its management rights over the offices and facilities used by the union, HKU also decided to stop collecting membership fees on behalf of the union, and to cease providing financial management services for them.