Hong Kong student union suspended over calls for justice for fire victims 

A university in Hong Kong has suspended the operations of its student union after messages were posted on campus expressing condolences and urging justice for the victims of a major deadly fire.

The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) confirmed to the AFP news agency on Friday that it ordered the HKBU Student Union’s acting executive committee to suspend its operations “with immediate effect until further notice”. It did not mention the fire and the union’s call for justice in its statement confirming the suspension.

Hong Kong residents have been demanding answers from the city government after a fire that ripped through Wang Fuk Court in the city’s northern Tai Po district last week, killing at least 159 people in what was described as the world’s deadliest residential building fire since 1980.

In a statement published by the Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP), HKBU cited the student union’s low membership rate, lack of a “strong commitment” to improve the welfare of students, and failure to “abide by the regulations” of the university on financial matters, as reasons for the indefinite suspension.

The union rejected the reasons in a statement on social media, calling them “unreasonable”, “unfounded and arbitrary”.

“The university’s irrational action raises concerns about potential ulterior motives behind this forced suspension,” AFP cited the union as saying.

In a separate statement published by HKFP on Friday, the union said membership has increased “sixfold” compared with last year, despite attempts by the university to block efforts by students to improve the union.

On Tuesday, social media users circulated photos of a message stuck onto a student union-run notice board, nicknamed the “democracy wall”, which expressed condolences for those killed in the fire.

The unsigned message continued: “We are Hongkongers,” and urged the government to be receptive and respond to public demands so justice can be done.

The wall was later blocked off by university security personnel with tall barricades, according to news reports from Hong Kong.

Kevin, a HKBU student who declined to give his surname, told AFP that he found the noticeboard message to be “positive” and said it drew attention from students walking by before it was sealed off.

The university did not respond to AFP’s questions regarding the democracy wall.

Authorities have warned against crimes that “exploit the tragedy” and have cracked down on calls for accountability, arresting at least three people for sedition in the fire’s aftermath.

On Thursday, reports said that authorities also arrested a Hong Kong YouTuber for alleged “sedition” over remarks about the Tai Po fire.

Student unions at Hong Kong universities were once hotbeds of political activism and played a role in the city’s huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

But they either shrank their operations or were shut down entirely after a heavy crackdown by the authorities, and when Beijing imposed a national security law in Hong Kong in 2020 that critics say has curbed dissent in the autonomous Chinese city.

On Sunday, the city is scheduled to hold a “patriots only” legislative election, but turnout is expected to be low, with residents saying they are angry at authorities.

The vote has been viewed by some analysts as a test of legitimacy for the Hong Kong government as it tries to soothe public anger over the fire and oversee an ongoing national security crackdown.