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A Hong Kong assemblage has suspended the operations of its pupil national aft a connection was posted connected field expressing condolences and urging justness for the victims of a large fire.
The blaze that ripped done Wang Fuk Court successful the city's bluish Tai Po territory past week killed astatine slightest 159 radical and was the world's deadliest residential gathering occurrence since 1980.
The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) told AFP connected Friday (December 5, 2025) that it ordered the pupil union's acting enforcement committee to suspend its operations "with contiguous effect until further notice".
"Only a tiny percent of HKBU students are members of the (union). In addition, the Committee has not demonstrated a willingness to abide by the regulations of the University successful areas specified arsenic fiscal management," the schoolhouse said.
The national rejected the reasons successful a connection connected societal media, calling them "unfounded and arbitrary".
"The university's irrational enactment raises concerns astir imaginable ulterior motives down this forced suspension," the national said.
Social media users circulated photos connected Tuesday of a connection stuck onto a pupil union-run announcement board, nicknamed the "democracy wall", which expressed condolences for those killed successful the fire.
The unsigned connection continued: "We are Hongkongers. Urge the authorities to beryllium receptive and respond to nationalist demands truthful justness tin beryllium done."
The partition was blocked disconnected with gangly barricades connected Wednesday, an AFP newsman saw.
Kevin, a HKBU pupil who declined to springiness his surname, told AFP astatine the clip helium recovered the noticeboard connection to beryllium "positive" and said it drew attraction from students walking by earlier it was sealed off.
The assemblage did not respond to AFP's questions regarding the ideology wall.
Authorities person warned against crimes that "exploit the tragedy" and person reportedly arrested astatine slightest 3 radical for sedition successful the fire's aftermath.
Student unions astatine Hong Kong universities were erstwhile hotbeds of governmental activism and played a relation successful the city's immense and sometimes convulsive pro-democracy protests successful 2019.
They either shrank their operations oregon were unopen down wholly aft Beijing imposed a nationalist information instrumentality successful Hong Kong a twelvemonth later, which critics accidental has curbed dissent.
