Hong Kong university suspends student leaders over banned memorial for undergraduate who fell to his death near site of protest
- University of Science and Technology’s student union president and vice president lose semester, while four others also punished
- The event, which marked the six-month anniversary of Alex Chow’s death, had been expressly forbidden by the school’s management
The president and vice-president of the University of Science and Technology’s (HKUST) Students’ Union were also warned they could be expelled if any further violations occurred.
The university said the union’s May memorial event – which marked the six-month anniversary of HKUST student Alex Chow Tsz-lok falling to his death in a car park near the site of a protest – posed public health concerns and violated management’s instruction to not hold the event.
Four other student union members were handed reprimand letters, barred from using campus sports and amenities facilities for one term, and ordered to serve 75 hours of university community service over the incidents. Those additional penalties also applied to the two suspended.
The event came to light on Sunday after the student union issued a statement revealing the university’s decision, which was made in mid-January.