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CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning

One day after the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) removed the Pillar of Shame, a memorial of the Tiananmen Square Massacre by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) also took action to remove a memorial sculpture on its campus, the Goddess of Democracy, without prior announcement.

Sources in CUHK claim that the university had been planning for the statue's removal, but had moved up its schedule once they saw HKU took down the Pillar of Shame. It was also said that the school had considered directly demolishing the statue and sending it to the landfill. The statue is currently placed in temporary storage.

Compared to HKU's actions on the day prior, CUHK was even more subtle in their actions. Before starting to dismantle the pillar, HKU had first enclosed the area with barricades; this gave students and journalists precious time to come to the scene and record the event. CUHK, in comparison, acted in complete secrecy; the statue was not guarded in any way as late as the previous evening. Their dismantling work began around 6am this morning, and by 6:30, the statue was removed without a trace.

The Goddess of Democracy statue was a replica of the one erected on Tiananmen Square during the student protests in 1989, days before the violent crackdown by the Chinese army on June 4. The replica was created by Chinese sculptor Chen Weiming (陳維明) , and was shipped to Hong Kong on June 2, 2010 and received by the Hong Kong Alliance, the organizer of the annual June 4 candlelight vigil. The statue was temporarily confiscated by police, a number of Alliance members were arrested, and Chen himself was denied entry to the city; despite the setbacks, the statue was able to go on display at the candlelight vigil two days later. It was then shipped to CUHK, escorted by over 2000 citizens, students, and faculty members, and was erected on the grass near the University MTR station, where it stood until today.

Source: 白影, HKGolden
Photo: 白影, CUHK Student Press

#June4 #GoddessOfDemocracy #TiananmenMassacre #Memorial #Censorship #PoliticalSuppression

Read more:
The pillar of Shame is being destroyed in these minutes : Jen Galschiot calls for public record on Twitter
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31702
#PoliceState #Lie
Hong Kong Security Head denies brutality in campus arrest during anti-ELAB movement

On December 3, 2021, Chris Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security in Hong Kong accused a local press, Stand News, for biased reporting with an attempt to demonize law enforcement authorities.

Tang blamed an inaccurate news report published by Stand News in November 2019. He said, the news which cited an anonymous person, described how the police entered the Chinese University.

In defense, Tang claimed the police did not enter the university campus, but guarded over #2 bridge and stopped people from hurling Molotovs and harrassing the traffic at the Tolo Harbour Highways.

Tang stressed that the Police Force had issued a statement to rebuke Stand News which clarified that the force did not enter the university campus. The same statement also reprimanded Stand News for “glamourizing violence.”

The Stand News looked back into the videos recorded on 12 November 2019 at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK). The video showed the police conducting an arrest operation in the afternoon at the campus at east road roundabout.

#PoliceBrutality #ErasingHistory #AntiELAB #HKProtest #CUHKsiege

Source: Stand News; #Dec3
#CUHK #GoddessOfDemocracyStatue
On Christmas Eve, there was candlelight on the CUHK campus, sorrowing where the Goddess of Democracy is

#June4 #TiananmenMassacre #HKU #PillarOfShame #Candlelight

Source : The Stand News; #Dec24

Read more
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#CUHK #GoddessOfDemocracyStatue
On Christmas Eve, there was candlelight on the
CUHK campus, sorrowing where the Goddess of Democracy is

The annual June 4th candlelight vigils in Victoria Park that had been banned for two consecutive years has "reappeared" in the Chinese University in Hong Kong (#CUHK) on Christmas Eve, following authorities deliberate removal of the statue of the Goddess of Democracy overnight.

The statue which had been placed on the university campus for 11 years, was suddenly removed without a word of warning on December 24, a day after the Pillar of Shame was dismantled in the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) on December 23.

Read more about the Dismentaling of Pillar of Shame in #HKU
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31704

After lunch time, some students used dozens of pictures of the Goddess of Democracy statue to recreate the statue of Goddess of Democracy in CUHK.

Graduates and citizens even seen presenting flowers to the "new" statue in a bid to express their grief.

In the evening, they lit small candles that pieced together the appearance of “June 4th”, “democracy”, and “Goddess of Democracy”. It looked as if the long-lost candlelight vigils - held in remembrance of victims of June 4th massacre in Beijing - has actually "reappeared" on the campus of CUHK on Christmas Eve this year.

Brandon, a CUHK student, expressed that the statue of Goddess of Democracy symbolized not only the “June 4th incident”, it was also an indicator of freedom of speech and political climate in the university and the society at large.

He said the students knew that the school will remove the statue of Goddess of Democracy when HKU removed the Pillar of Shame. They believed it fell beyond the control of the university management.

“However we didn't expect that the statue literally disappeared overnight," added Brandon in distress.

Source : Stand News; #Dec24
https://thestandnews.page.link/2BeHeBaAcUuj6UzLA

#CUHK #June4 #GoddessOfDemocracyStatue #TiananmenMassacre #HKU #PillarOfShame #Candlelight

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CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31710?single
#WhiteTerror
Hong Kong Lingnan University removes Tiananmen Massacre relief citing legal and safety concerns

On December 24, 2021, Lingnan University (#LU) was the third University in Hong Kong to tear down monuments commemorating the victims of the 1989 June 4th Tiananmen Massacre from their campuses on two consecutive days before Christmas.

The removals came one day after the University of Hong Kong (#HKU) dismantled the Pillar of Shame during the night of December 23, 2021

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) removed the Goddess of Democracy statue from its campus in the early morning of December 24, whilst Lingnan University took off a Tiananmen Massacre relief citing safety and legal issues on the same day.

The student union expresses "deep regret for the university’s unilateral decision to remove the monument, with no communication with the students." They also "strongly condemn the move by the university to obliterate the historical symbol.”

The relief was created by Chinese-born New Zealand sculptor Chen Weiming in May 2009 – portrayed iconic scenes of the student-led democracy movement in Beijing which was forcefully clamped down by the People’s Liberation Army on June 4, 1989. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, died.

The art piece had shown the “Tank Man” image where an unnamed individual stood in front of a line of tanks, as well as impressions of citizens rushing injured protesters to the hospital on bicycles.

Some students said theu knew the removal of the relief by Lingnan University was coming; while some were surprised that it took place just a day after HKU removed another monument, the Pillar of Shame, overnight on Thursday.

#MemoryCrackdown #June4 #TiananmemMassacre #PoliticalOppression #CCP #PillarOfShame

Source: Whatsnewsmedia, HKFP; #Dec24
https://t.me/WhatsNewsHK/2695

====
RELATED ARTICLES

Chinese Students Shocked Watching HKU's Removal of Pillar of Shame, Believes in Power of Witnesses

https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31704

CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31710
#CUHK #GoddessOfDemocracyStatue
CUHK Policy Regarding Goddess of Democracy Changes Following 11 Years of Tolerance

Source: Stand News; #Dec24

#GoddessOfDemocracy #CUHK #FreedomOfSpeech

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
#CUHK #GoddessOfDemocracyStatue
CUHK Policy Regarding Goddess of Democracy Changes Following 11 Years of Tolerance

Following HKU’s removal of the Pillar of Shame from school grounds, CUHK had removed the Goddess of Democracy statue located within school grounds on #Dec24 midnight.

According to the university’s statement, the university “never authorised the display of the statue on its campus”, and claimed that the University’s Administrative and Planning Committee had unanimously resolved to not approve the request from the Chinese University Student Union to display the statue on its campus, and that “its opposition and principles are on the public record”.

However, it must be noted that former Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK Joseph Sung Jao-yiu had sent an open letter dedicated to the university’s staff, students, and alumni, explaining the stance of the university regarding its policy when handling the Goddess of Democracy.

Sung had stated that the university had suggested the Student Union display the statue in Cultural Square, with the Union in charge of maintaining the statue, while departments within the University would provide assistance when necessary.

“Due to [Cultural Square] being near where the Student Union is located at, it would be easier for its members to maintain the statue, compared to placing it outside the University MTR station.”

Sung had also stated that, “CUHK has always been defending its freedom of speech and academic freedoms, and has been opened to different views and opinions. When dealing with the ‘New Goddess of Democracy’, we aim at following the same principles.”

Read full statement in Chinese here.

Source: Stand News; #Dec24
https://thestandnews.page.link/MA5UdC2Z4GnEoDjR9

#GoddessOfDemocracy #CUHK #FreedomOfSpeech

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CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31710
#Kowtow #Censorship
Universities in Hong Kong Dismantle June 4th Tiananmen Commemorative Symbols: "A Christmas Present for Beijing"

On December 24, 2021, the Management of the Hong Kong Lingnan University (#LU) removed and destroyed a commemorative relief of the 1989 June 4th Tiananmen Massacre that was installed on campus since 2010, without any notice and conscent from the students.

The action coincided with the dismantling of other commemorative statue and sculpture by two other universities in Hong Kong right before Christmas day.

According to the vice-chair of external affairs of the 43th Student Union of the Hong Kong Lingnan University, Tang Kin-Wah, the relief and the statue of the Goddess of Democracy arrived in Hong Kong in 2010. Under the coordination of the Federation of Students and the Alliance, the two commemorative structures had exhibition tour in all universities in Hong Kong, starting with the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) and ending in the Lingnan University.

Back in 2010, after discussing with the university management, the student union at Lingnan University handed in a plan stating that they hoped to preserve the relief permanently on campus. Later on, the Student Union was allowed to restore the relief and convened a permanent installation ceremony with the help of the university management. The ownership of the relief belongs to the Student Union.

After the University managemeng secretly and forcefully removed the relief on Christmas' eve on 2021, some alumni made a trip back and placed white flower on the now-empty site. They described the act as an "assignment" that the university president Cheng Kwok-hon "turned in" to Beijing. "It is his [Cheng's] Christmas present for the Central Government at the end of 2021," the alumni mocked.

Source: InMedia #Dec24
https://bit.ly/3J9LOzn

#University #Censorship #June4th #Memory #Brainwashing

====
RELATED NEWS

The Pillar of Shame is being destroyed in these minutes : Jen Galschiot calls for public record
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31702

CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31710

Chinese Students Shocked Watching HKU's Removal of Pillar of Shame, Believes in Power of Witnesses
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31704

CUHK Removes Goddess of Democracy Statue Without Warning
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31710

City University of Hong Kong Demands Student Union to Remove Pro-democracy Monument
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/31730
#June4th #Tienanmen
June 4 Slogan Outside HKU Swire Hall Barricaded; University Cites Maintenance Reasons

Source: WhatsNews Media, Undergrad; #Jan29

Read more
⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://t.me/guardiansofhongkong/32035
#June4th #Tienanmen
June 4 Slogan Outside HKU Swire Hall Barricaded; University Cites Maintenance Reasons

Since the end of 2021, numerous June Fourth artefacts have been removed from the grounds of various universities, including the Pillar of Shame in the University of Hong Kong (#HKU), the Goddess of Democracy in the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK), and the June Fourth Commemorative Relief and “Goddess of Democracy” spray art in Lingnan University (#LingU).

Since around 0930 on #Jan29, the June Fourth slogan outside of HKU’s Swire Hall has been barricaded by the university, with personnel at the site stating that they were there on behalf of “beautification works”.

Undergrad, one of HKU’s campus media, have enquired HKU’s Communications and Public Affairs Office, who stated that the site was barricaded due to a “scheduled maintenance” of the site.

Jason Wong Ching Hin, elected full-time undergraduate student of the University Council, arrived at the site in the afternoon, and stated to the press that he did not know about the incident prior, questioning the University's self-censorship and expressed confusion why the University would “attract attention with this unnecessary move”.

In 1989, then chairperson of Swire Hall Students' Association Cheung Yui Fai and his fellow schoolmates, angered at the Chinese Government's massacre at Tiananmen Square, wrote a banner on a piece of black cloth that reads:-

Cold-blooded Massacre, Martyrs’ Souls Enduring; Eliminate Evil, Undying Democracy Flames.
冷血屠城 烈士英魂不朽 誓殲豺狼 民主星火不滅

The paint seeped through the black banner and remained on the bridge. After this, HKU students and Swire Hall residents would repaint the slogan every year as a way to keep the June Fourth Spirit going.

Source: WhatsNews Media (https://www.whatsnewsmedia.com/6831/15/03/02/), Undergrad (https://www.instagram.com/p/CZTuKgxBOAX/); #Jan29
#Brainwashing #Education
Universities in Hong Kong to Implement Courses on Modern China and National Security


Under the #NationalSecurityLaw (#NSL), educationsl institutions in Hong Kong were requested to implement national security education.

Universities like the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (#PolyU), the Hong Kong Baptist University (#HKBU), the Hong Kong Education University (#EdUHK) and the Hong Kong Lingnan University (#HKLU) have followed the government order.

Recently, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK) has reportedly amended their core curriculum for the next academic year.

CUHK will open online courses on "Understanding China Today", and "National Security" starting from the next academic year. Each of them takes account to 1 credit.

CUHK confirms InMedia's enquiry and claimed that the new courses aimed to "strengthen students' knowledge [...] to understand national security". The courses were authorised by the University's academic council; however, no curriculum details have been revealed.

According to the documents InMedia received, the course titled "Understanding China Today" touched upon the modernization of China and technological development, in addition to Chinese culture and history. In addition to national security education, other online courses cover positive psychology and modern language. Each of the course takes account to 1 credit.

The University called it "Service Learning" and requires students to take at least one of thrse 1-credit courses.

CUHK replies to InMedia that the university would launcb national security education in accordance with Article 10 of the NSL. The university also said that they have already rolled out a number of policies and activities to "increase students' national belonging". Orientation activities include theme talks about national security and media literacy; courses contain a talk regarding "international circumstances and China's diplomacy"; graduates career workshops consist of #BasicLaw.

Source: Inmedia #Jan18
https://bit.ly/3nwAVhB

#Propaganda #Regime #University
#Suppression #WhiteTerror
The 7th University in Hong Kong ceases recognition of its Students’ Union

In an internal email sent to students and faculty members on January 20, 2022, the Education University of Hong Kong (#EdUHK) criticized governance of the student union, saying that the Union has been operating under a ‘provisional’ body for the past four consecutive years, without proper mandate and therefore lack of student representation.

The university said it will stop offering support to the union, including the collection of membership fees, providing network accounts and services, and offering IT support. Additionally, the student union will lose access to its office space and the right to book and use campus facilities and venues.

The union’s HK$9 million reserve will also be “kept under the custody” of the university’s Finance Office.

In just one year, seven of eight universities in Hong Kong has cut ties with their students’ union, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK), the University of Hong Kong (#HKU), the City University of Hong Kong (#CityU), the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong (#PolyU), the Baptist University of Hong Kong (#BUHK) and the Lingnan University of Hong Kong (#LingnanU).

#StudentsUnion #Authoritarianism #Censorship #Education

Source: inmediahk; #Jan20
https://bit.ly/3FJOnoP

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.