HKU students make low-key protest at inauguration

Incoming students at the University of Hong Kong found a low-key way to continue the national education protest on Wednesday, wearing black ribbons during the inauguration ceremony for the new term.

The students’ union provided 6,000 ribbons for first-year students attending the ceremony at Loke Yew Hall.

Nearly every student seemed to accept one, and some wore them on their wrists while listening to speeches by university officials.

Students’ union president Dan Chan Koon-hong said he was satisfied by the students’ acceptance of the campaign, coming after Tuesday’s successful city-wide boycott by university students to protest against the national education course.

“Now we should take our action to the next stage, not confining it to a class boycott,” Chan said.

The union has no plan for another class boycott when classes resume on Monday, he said. Any further action would have to be discussed with student representatives from other institutions.