Two students were taken away from the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s graduation ceremony after holding up placards, following an email warning to students against “disruptive” acts on campus.
The pair displayed signs near the university library on Thursday morning, where throngs of graduates celebrated and took photos in their caps and gowns. “I hope CUHK will – ,” one sign read. “If CUHK loses … it will no longer be CUHK,” read the other.
A day earlier the university sent students an internal email warning against disruptive acts, which included a link to the university’s honour code.
“As current students, you will one day become graduates and can look forward to celebrating with your family, friends and academic community. So please treat the graduates with the same respect that you would expect for your own special occasion,” read the message signed by vice-chancellor Rocky Tuan and provost Alan Chan.
Tuan was absent from Thursday’s ceremony — a first for the CUHK president. Local media reported that he was sick and unable to attend the ceremony.
“The University has a zero-tolerance policy for any act which seeks to disrupt the order of proceedings or the wider gathering of people on the University Mall or elsewhere on campus,” according to the email seen by HKFP. It did not specify whether the university would take disciplinary action against those who broke those rules.
Graduates who spoke to HKFP on Thursday said they did not receive the email.
Placards ‘strictly prohibited’
A different and more detailed list of regulations was posted near the ceremony grounds, stipulating that all persons must “ensure the ceremony is conducted … without interference or hindrances. The rights of all participants and guests to be free from any nuisance shall be respected.”
It also listed “bringing, distributing, posting, or displaying placards, banners or other objects which may cause disturbance to the ceremonial venue and neighbouring areas” as acts that are “strictly prohibited.”
In November last year, dozens of students gathered for a vigil at CUHK to mourn those who died in a Xinjiang fire after it was locked down amid Covid restrictions. Some distributed blank A4 paper to passers-by – a symbol of the escalating demonstrations in China against zero-Covid regulations. The university’s security guards reportedly took photos of the students who took part in the campus demonstration.
Shortly after Thursday’s ceremony, the two individuals held up the black cardboard signs with prompts written in silver marker. The pair also held stacks of yellow post-it notes, some of which had been stuck onto the signs.
One of the post-its listed “humanistic spirit” – a facet of Confucianism touted as a historically essential part of CUHK’s culture – as one of the elements that defined the university. Another read, “The CUHK Student Union.”
The pair told reporters they hoped graduates would share their thoughts, and would explore and exchange ideas about what constitutes a CUHK identity. They said they were not advocating any causes, and only hoped to conduct exchanges in an orderly fashion, without disrupting the graduates.
Minutes later, Director of the Office of Student Affairs Elaine Tam approached the two students and said the office was happy to facilitate their activities but that they could not stay at the University Mall.
Tam then led them aside, away from the crowds, to a more sparsely populated space next to the library. One of the two students said she “did not intend to ruin the atmosphere,” to which Tam replied that they had to be led away as a crowd control measure.
“Think about it, look at how many journalists are here. To some extent, I invited you over here because there was a crowd forming, so this is a crowd control [measure],” she said. Just under a dozen security guards were on the scene, along with about 20 reporters.
Tam did not respond to journalists’ questions about whether the two students had violated regulations or whether they would face disciplinary action.
The pair was then led to the university’s Benjamin Franklin Centre, where reporters were not allowed in.
Breaches of conduct
In a reply to HKFP, a CUHK spokesperson confirmed that the pair were students, and that they had violated the rules of the graduation ceremony by “[displaying] slogans without the permission of the university.”
“University security personnel promptly arrived at the scene to maintain order, and the students involved stopped their behaviour after they were spoken to by staff from the Office of Student Affairs.”
The spokesperson added that breaches of the university’s Code of Conduct would be handled in accordance with CUHK’s policies and procedures.
Another student who “engaged in conduct which impacted the experience of other attendees” also violated the rules of the ceremony, according to the reply. It was not specified what that conduct was.
Separately, another student staged a demonstration by lying on the ground and covering himself in pieces of paper printed with students’ problems, including “not enough psychiatrists at CUHK”, “counselling full booking”, “can’t find a boss”, and “studying while working part-time.”
Earlier this month, Hong Kong’s legislature passed a controversial bill set to drastically reduce the influence of staff and academics in the running of CUHK. Its governing council was downsized from 55 seats to 34, with a proposed 23 external members and 11 internal members.
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