President of Hong Kong Polytechnic University Teng Jin-guang refuses to shake hands with students who wore masks during graduation ceremony
- Among 326 doctoral students who attended the degree ceremony on Sunday, two wore masks while walking up to the stage to receive their awards
- The university president, who shook hands with all other graduates, asked the two mask-wearing students to leave the stage with hand gesture
The head of Hong Kong Polytechnic University on Sunday refused to shake hands with two doctoral graduates who wore masks on stage during the annual degree-awarding ceremony.
The reaction of the university president, Teng Jin-guang, immediately drew fire from the students, who accused him of failing to respect people with different political views.
The ceremony was the first of several such events to be held by Hong Kong’s eight publicly-funded universities over the coming two months. Some student groups had appealed to graduates to wear masks, which have become symbols of anti-government protests in the city, while receiving their degree awards at the ceremonies.
In his speech to the new graduates, Teng urged all parties in Hong Kong to “enhance communication” and put an end to violence. He also said a university education should encourage people to express their views “in a respectful and rational manner”.
Among the 326 doctoral students who attended the ceremony, one wore a black mask and the other donned a surgical one while walking up to the stage.