CUHK Students Stage Graduation Day Protest

Dozens of people wearing black graduation gowns and face masks marched to Chinese University's mall on Thursday, chanting anti-government protest slogans and holding up banners and flags.

The protest, which began at midday, was in response to calls online for a rally after the university shifted its graduation ceremony online, and came about a year after violent clashes erupted on campus.

The crowd gathered at the Goddess of Democracy statue close to the nearby MTR station, and made its way into the campus.

Some in the crowd wore black graduation gowns and Guy Fawkes masks, while others wore all black.

Those at the front of the march held aloft a banner that read: "This revolution was ultimately won by no one, but please stay with us to witness it."

Another banner read: “Happy Graduation CU rioters”.

There were also signs that carried the "Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times" slogan, as well as others that read Hong Kong independence.

Some also had signs calling for the freeing of 12 Hong Kong activists who have been detained in the mainland since August, when their speedboat was intercepted by the mainland coast guard. Authorities say the 12 are suspects in various crimes and absconded while they were on bail.

Mary, a graduate of the university's School of Journalism and Communication, was brandishing a black balloon during the gathering.

"We usually hold balloons during our graduation happily. Now we use black to symbolise the movement, and to symbolise the dark era we are living in," she told RTHK.

She also criticised university student guards who were videotaping the crowd and warning over loudspeakers that the protesters may be violating the government's ban on group gatherings.

"They didn’t show up during the chaos that happened at Bridge No 2 last year, but now they do their job in a responsible manner – seemingly helping with the suppression."

The crowd sang the "Glory to Hong Kong" protest song at the university mall – where the graduation ceremony would ordinarily have taken place – and began to disperse after leaving a banner outside the university's library.

In a statement issued this morning before the protest began, the university also said it had already learned from the internet that a demonstration was planned. The university said it had notified the police in relation to possible health risks, as a ban on gatherings of more than four people is in effect.

The statement also said many places on campus had been spray-painted with phrases and markings, including the walls, passages and floors of various buildings. The university said these acts constitute criminal damage and has made a report to the police.

The university said its graduation ceremony "is definitely not an occasion for political expression and the dissemination of political messages".

_____________________________