HKU takes down student union radical posters and banners

The University of Hong Kong has torn off all materials displayed on the democracy wall and outside the student union building, according to its student media outlets Campus TV and Undergrad.

It was reported that around 20 security guards and staff from the university's estates office removed the posters and banners as well as other materials on the student union's notice boards outside the Knowles Building and in the lobby of Leung Kau Kui Building. All materials were removed by noon yesterday.

Photos on the student media outlets' Facebook pages showed the materials had messages such as "Hongkongers, resist!" "Never forgive Hong Kong police" and "HKU fawns on the Communist Party" as well as another that called for a boycott of the MTR.

It was reported that the dean of student affairs, Samson Tse Shu-ki, who was at the removal, noted that the operation was a follow-up move after the university said it would take back the offices and facilities used by the student union in April.

Tse said the posters and banners will not be binned and that he will contact the student union to see how they should be handled.

HKU cut ties with the student union in April after it "strongly condemned" its "radical acts and remarks," adding those actions bring legal risks to the university.

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

The university said in April that the union used the campus "as a platform for its political propaganda."

It added: "The union repeatedly made inflammatory and potentially unlawful public statements and unfounded allegations against the university.

"It is not acceptable that [it] disregards the university's advice and the overall interests of the HKU community while taking advantage of the services and facilities offered by the university."

Pro-establishment group Politihk Social Strategic welcomed HKU's move. It also requested the university to take down the Pillar of Shame, a sculpture which commemorates the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, and wash off the pro-democracy message painted on the Swire Bridge.

The group launched an online petition on Saturday, opposing HKU from appointing Johannes Chan Man-mun as an adjunct professor of law.

The contract of Chan, 62, who was the chair of public law at HKU's law department, expired last month.

He has been strongly criticized - though not named - by government officials following his comments on the stabbing of a police officer in Causeway Bay on July 1.

HKU's student union council, meanwhile, retracted a motion of appreciating the "sacrifice" of 50-year-old Leung Kin-fai, who authorities said stabbed the officer before killing himself. The council also apologized for the motion, with four executive committee members resigning from their posts.

sophie.hui@singtaonewscorp.com