Hong Kong student groups across international universities release joint statement against police brutality

A total of 78* Hong Kong-affiliated student groups at various higher education institutions across the globe have released a “Joint Statement on Police Brutality and Academic Freedom”.

One of these groups are Warwick Stands with Hong Kong, a group of students from the city at the University of Warwick, who put up a Lennon Wall at the Piazza during Reading Week and released an open letter after the wall was taken down by campus security.

Signatories of the statement include multiple Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Service (HKPASS) societies at UK universities including Birmingham, Durham, Lancaster, Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Surrey, York and Sussex.

There are also signatories from student groups based abroad such as Montreal, Ottawa, Støt, Geneva, Netherlands, New Zealand and Los Angeles.

The beginning of the statement read: “Five months into Hong Kong’s protest movement, there is still no end in sight.”

It referenced local riot police “storming” the campuses of various Hong Kong universities, primarily the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), on 12 November.

The “invasion” of CUHK’s campus “led to a day-long battle in which students defended their university. Continuous rounds of tear gas and baton rounds were fired within the campus, injuring at least 60 students and staff. Some lost consciousness during the siege and over 1000 rounds were fired on the day alone in a brutal and unwarranted retaliation against the students.

“Even the Vice-Chancellor was not spared from being tear-gassed. Despite multiple attempts by the police to justify their actions, academics have petitioned to condemn the illegal intrusion into campuses.”

We strongly condemn the institutionalisation of political violence, intimidation and human rights violations against the people of Hong Kong

– Joint Statement on Police Brutality and Academic Freedom

The letter wrote that the incident “only adds to the countless cases of police brutality in Hong Kong, including allegations of officers gang-raping and subsequently publicly discrediting a teenager, as well as firing live rounds at point-blank range against a 16-year-old last month and an unarmed 21-year-old protester in Sai Wan Ho a few days ago.

“The latter victim was, until recently, in critical condition after undergoing an operation to remove the bullet, his right kidney and part of his liver. In another recent case, 22-year-old Alex Chow Tsz-Lok, a student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) died after falling from a carpark while fleeing a police raid.”

The letter continued: “We, the undersigned, are different groups of individuals across the globe who are deeply concerned about the aforementioned events and similar incidents. We strongly condemn the institutionalisation of political violence, intimidation and human rights violations against the people of Hong Kong.

“In particular, we denounce the unauthorised entry into the four universities in Hong Kong over the past two days, accompanied by unjustified acts of brutality. Not only did such acts jeopardise the safety of students and academic staff alike, but they were also blatant assaults on Hongkongers’ civil liberties and human rights.”

“We therefore urge the international community to stand with Hong Kong to prevent further police brutality and to support human rights in Hong Kong,” the letter concluded.

“We also urge leaders of higher education institutions across the globe to condemn the Hong Kong Police Force’s invasion into universities. We further appeal to all educational institutions and consulates in Hong Kong for any possible assistance to students who are currently studying in the city.

“Wherever we are at this moment, we stand in solidarity with every Hongkonger in this fight for freedom, democracy, and justice.”

The letter ended with the protests’ slogan, “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong”. The signatories are as follows:

1. Action Free Hong Kong Montreal
2. Adelaide – Stand with Hong Kong
3. Australia Hong Kong Link Victoria HongKongers
4. Bath Stands With Hong Kong
5. Birmingham Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Services Society
6. Birmingham Stand With Hong Kong
7. BN6100HK
8. Boston HongKongers
9. Brisbane International Student Solidarity with Hong Kong
10. Bristol Stands with Hong Kong
11. Canada-Hong Kong Link
12. Canberra Hong Kong Concern
13. Cambridge Stands With Hong Kong
14. Comité pour la Liberté à Hongkong
15. DC4HK – Washingtonians Supporting Hong Kong
16. Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)
17. Democracy for Hong Kong in Japan
18. Democracy for Hong Kong in Scotland
19. Durham Stands With Hong Kong
20. Durham University Hong Kong Society
21. Durham University Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Service Society
22. Edmonton Hong Kong Civil Rights United
23. Finland Supporting Hong Kong
24. Geneva Stands With Hong Kong
25. Green River Community College – Hong Kong Student Aid Committee
26. Halifax Hong Kong Link
27. Hong Kong Advocates for Freedom Exeter
28. Hong Kong Affairs Association of Berkeley
29. Hong Kong Committee in Norway
30. Hong Kong Democracy and Human Rights Association (University of Washington)
31. Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles
32. Hongkongers’ Group of the Republic of Korea
33. Hongkongers in Germany Concern Group
34. Hong Kong Human Rights Concern Group at the University of Michigan
35. Hong Kong Outlanders
36. Imperial College Public Awareness and Social Service Society
37. King’s College London Public Awareness and Social Service Society
38. Lancaster University Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Service Society
39. London School of Economics Student Alliance for Hong Kong
40. McMaster Stand with Hong Kong
41. Netherlands for Hong Kong
42. Newcastle University Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Service Society
43. Newcastle Stands With Hong Kong
44. New Zealand Hong Konger
45. New South Wales HongKongers
46. Northern California Hong Kong Club
47. Nottingham Stands With Hong Kong
48. NY4HK
49. Ontario Universities Hong Kong Awareness Group
50. Oxford Stands With Hong Kong
51. Ottawa’s Post-secondary institutes Hong Kong awareness group (Carleton University, University of Ottawa, Algonquin College)
52. Ottawans Stand with HK
53. SEArious for HKG
54. Seattle Hong Kong Students Alliance
55. Sheffield Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Services Society
56. Støt Hong Kong
57. The University of New South Wales AEL Team
58. Torontonian Hong Kong Action Group
59. Torontonians Stand With Hong Kong
60. TX4HK
61. University of British Columbia The Enlightenment of Hong Kong
62. UCLA Stands With Hong Kong
63. UCSD – Hong Kong Cultural Society
64. University College London Solidarity in Hong Kong
65. University of Leeds Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Service Society
66. University of Manchester Hong Kong Public Affairs & Social Services Society
67. University of Surrey Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Services Society
68. University of Sussex Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Services Society
69. University of York Hong Kong Public Affairs and Social Services Society
70. Vancouver Hong Kong Forum Society
71. Vancouver Hong Kong Political Activists
72. Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM)
73. Vancouverites Concerned About Hong Kong
74. Warwick Stands with Hong Kong
75. We Are Kiwi Hong Konger
76. Yellow Power New Zealand
77. York Stand with Hong Kong
78. York University Hong Kong Politics Awareness Group

*As of 1pm on Friday there were 78 signatories. The Boar has been told that more have requested to join the list since.