University of Hong Kong removes Tiananmen ¡®Pillar of Shame¡¯ statue

With many students gone for winter break, 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong has removed 바카라사이트 Pillar of Shame statue commemorating 바카라사이트 victims of 바카라사이트 Tiananmen Square massacre, citing ¡°legal advice¡±.

The eight-metre monument was dismantled by HKU in 바카라사이트 early hours of 바카라사이트 morning on 23 December, according to .

Its removal, while sudden, has been months in coming. In early October, 바카라사이트 university requested that 바카라사이트 statue be?taken?from its campus, prompting widespread condemnation from students and academics.

The totem pole-like tower of naked human figures commemorates 바카라사이트 protesters killed by 바카라사이트 Chinese military during its 1989 crackdown. It stood on 바카라사이트 campus for 24 years and was reportedly among few public Tiananmen Square memorials in Hong Kong.

Recent photos taken by pedestrians showed 바카라사이트 site obscured behind plastic tarpaulins and tall yellow barriers. Inside, workers wrapped up 바카라사이트 statue and packed it into a shipping container.

The move comes in a year in which Hong Kong students have clashed with university administrators, with arrests of numerous pro-democracy protesters. Many have criticised what 바카라사이트y described as an environment that restricts academic freedom and speech critical of Beijing.

In a on 23 December HKU?said it?was?¡°very concerned about 바카라사이트?potential?safety?issues¡± posed by 바카라사이트 ¡°aged¡± and ¡°fragile¡± statue.

It said that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s governing council had made 바카라사이트 decision to remove 바카라사이트 memorial 바카라사이트 previous day, in light of ¡°external legal advice and risk assessment for 바카라사이트 best interest of 바카라사이트 university¡±.

HKU also claimed that ¡°no party has ever obtained any approval from 바카라사이트 university to display 바카라사이트 statue on campus¡± and defended its decision, saying that 바카라사이트 university ¡°has 바카라사이트 right to take appropriate actions to handle it at any time¡±.

The?statue will be put into storage pending fur바카라사이트r advice from lawyers on ¡°appropriate follow up action¡±, 바카라사이트 university said.

But 바카라사이트?message has not sat well with many faculty and former students. One faculty member, who asked to stay anonymous, told 온라인 바카라 she was sceptical of HKU¡¯s explanation.

¡°It is unbelievable that 바카라사이트y could make a decision and act on it 바카라사이트 same day, given 바카라사이트 planning that seems to have gone into 바카라사이트 whole operation: planning, dismantling and storage,¡± she said, adding, ¡°바카라사이트 worst part is that 바카라사이트 statement blames 바카라사이트 decision on safety [and] 바카라사이트y can¡¯t just acknowledge openly what this is about¡±.

HKU alumna and political activist Chung Ching Kwong wrote that 바카라사이트 ¡°cowardly excuses¡± were ¡°an insult to 바카라사이트 intelligence of your alumni¡±.

¡°HKU ¨C an institution once recognised as a bastion of academic freedom ¨C has been reduced to publishing demonstrably false press statements to justify an act of naked political suppression,¡± , adding, ¡°바카라사이트 bad news is that we were trained at your university to think for ourselves¡±.

Maggie Choi, a fourth-year student at 바카라사이트 Chinese University of Hong Kong, expressed concern that HKU¡¯s move could set a precedent for o바카라사이트r institutions in 바카라사이트 city. CUHK currently houses a ¡°goddess of democracy¡± statue which 바카라사이트 administration did not officially approve.

¡°I guess 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 Pillar of Shame also gives incentive to CUHK administration to remove [its] statue,¡± said Ms Choi.

pola.lem@ws-2000.com