National security law: why the cutting of ties between University of Hong Kong and its student union was long in the making

Alumni, scholars say rupture stemmed from radicalisation of students over the years, with process eventually meeting its match in national security law

Analysts say resulting vacuum may leave student welfare underserved, while critics warn that those filling the void could be against free exchange of ideas

Reading Time:10 minutes

Published: 8:00am, 23 Jul 2021Updated: 12:55pm, 23 Jul 2021

Billy Fung Jing-en was once the poster boy of radical student activism. The former student union leader of the University of Hong Kong clashed with the institution’s management over its hiring decisions and led protests against its governing council.

He fought against the council in 2015 over its controversial decision to reject the candidacy of a liberal professor, Johannes Chan Man-mun, for a key managerial post.

The union chief was called a liar and radical for disclosing confidential meeting details and twice storming closed-door council meetings, while most of its members dug in their heels against the student body.

Billy Fung (centre) leads a student protest in 2015. Photo: Dickson Lee

But the union he led survived his leadership. Fung himself later pleaded guilty in court for disorderly conduct, escaped jail but was ordered to do 240 hours of community service.

None of his actions, however, prompted the university to take punitive action against the union.

Fung said this was why he was disappointed to learn that HKU had severed ties last week with the student union after it made a public showing of support for the “sacrifice” of a man who stabbed a police officer in the back before killing himself.

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