December 4, 2025
Local
Local
HONG KONG, Dec 5 — Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has suspended its student union after a message posted on campus expressed condolences and called for justice for victims of last week’s deadly Wang Fuk Court fire, which killed at least 159 people.
The university said the suspension, effective immediately, was due to the union’s failure to comply with regulations, including financial management, affecting only a small percentage of students. The union rejected the claims as “unfounded and arbitrary,” suggesting the move may have other motives.
The note, displayed on the union’s “democracy wall,” urged the government to respond to public demands. Photos circulated online before the wall was blocked off. Authorities have warned against exploiting the tragedy, with at least three arrests for sedition reported.
Student unions in Hong Kong, once hubs of political activism, have been curtailed or shut down since the 2020 national security law, critics say, limiting public dissent. — AFP
