Former Hong Kong leader CY Leung weighs in on Tiananmen statue row, calls for boycott of US law firm for reportedly cutting ties with university
- Ex-chief executive accuses Mayer Brown of political interference after it reportedly stops representing University of Hong Kong
- The status of the Pillar of Shame remains unclear after a Wednesday deadline for its removal passed
Former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying has urged local and mainland Chinese businesses to boycott an American law firm which has reportedly stopped representing the University of Hong Kong after it ordered the removal of a sculpture commemorating the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.
The status of the Pillar of Shame, created by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, remained unclear after a deadline set by HKU to remove it passed on Wednesday. The artwork has been there for 24 years.
The Post has reached out to Mayer Brown, which was founded in Chicago, for comment.
A university spokeswoman said HKU had nothing to add to the statement made earlier in the week, and reiterated that it was “still seeking legal advice and working with related parties to handle the matter in a legal and reasonable manner”.
In a series of Facebook posts on Saturday, Leung claimed the law firm had bowed to pressure from the United States and its decision to withdraw representation amounted to political interference.