Hundreds march on Hong Kong university to decry Mandarin-row suspensions
Protesters say they will not rule out stronger action if student union president Lau Tsz-kei and medical student Andrew Chan are not allowed to return to classes
Hundreds marched on Baptist University campus on Friday to protest against the suspension of two students over an ill-tempered stand-off with staff about the school’s Mandarin language requirements.
They would not rule out escalated action if management do not reverse the decision.
Protesters, including the institution’s students, staff and alumni plus students from other local universities and members of the public, flooded the Jockey Club Courtyard of the school’s Kowloon Tong campus. Organisers estimated there were about 300 people on the march.
The march continued towards Shaw Tower, where provost Professor Clayton MacKenzie received a letter from student leaders.
At issue was the suspension of student union president Lau Tsz-kei and medical student Andrew Chan Lok-hang for their involvement in an eight-hour stand-off at the school’s language centre last week. During the incident Lau was filmed using foul language towards a staff member.
According to the student union, citing the school, four students had been summoned for a disciplinary hearing over the argument. That number had been five, but the summons for one student was cancelled after he explained he had been there as a reporter.
