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Hong Kong localism, independence
Hong KongPolitics

Lingnan University responds after students stage Junius Ho protest

University releases statement saying comments on social affairs should be ‘peaceful’ after group of 20 students staged an ‘occupy’ campaign at the campus

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A security guard removes a black cloth from an emblem as Lingnan University students stage a protest against lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu. Photo: Sam Tsang
Kimmy Chung
Comments on social affairs should be “peaceful, rational and respectful”, Lingnan University said on Tuesday after students stepped up their protests against a governing council member who said independence advocates should be “killed mercilessly”.

The university said the comments from Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, who is also a pro-establishment lawmaker, were unrelated to Lingnan and they would not comment on council members’ remarks made in their personal capacity.

Junius Ho’s ‘killed mercilessly’ comment to be probed ‘fairly’, Hong Kong police chief says

“But we hope anyone commenting on social affairs could keep a peaceful, rational and respectful attitude,” the university’s statement read, adding that the management respected students’ right to express their views, as long as they did not affect others.

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The statement was made after a group of 20 students staged an “occupy” campaign by camping at one of the squares on the campus on Tuesday, with some vowing to stay overnight to demand that the university management and Ho attend their forum on Friday.

“Kick out Ho Kwan-yiu. Safeguard Lingnan,” the students chanted.

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The protesters covered three of the university’s emblems at the campus with black cloths and hung black banners bearing words blaming the management for staying silent on the matter and mocking Ho as a “bigwigs’ puppet”.

All the cloths and banners were later removed after management explained that they were hung without approval.

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