Students' Union Executive solidarity statement with protesting students in Hong Kong:

Students in Hong Kong have led pro-democracy protests, opposing the Chinese government’s limits on their voting rights. Thousands of students have boycotted classes, under the slogan of ‘boycott classes, don’t boycott learning’, holding public lectures with over 100 academics every day outside government headquarters. Over 100,000 people have joined in mass protests led by activist groups, such as Occupy Central With Love and Peace, and Scholarism. Protests have also raised issues relating to inequality and social and economic rights, and last week an estimated 10,000 workers engaged in a general strike. 

Protestors have been calling for the resignation of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Leung Chun-ying, and the right to have a choice in who becomes the next chief executive. Although the Chinese government has stated that from 2017, Hong Kong residents will be allowed to vote for the city’s government and chief executive, a nominating committee, dominated by pro-Beijing loyalists, would decide which and how many candidates could run in the elections. Protestors, who demand universal suffrage and that all candidates be allowed to run in elections, have entered discussions with the government.

SOAS Students’ Union Executive expresses full solidarity with protestors, and condemns the police’s use of tear gas against, and arrest of, activists, who have exercised their rights to peacefully protest, armed only with umbrellas.   

There will be a London solidarity demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy on Friday 10^th October https://www.facebook.com/events/811141368906712/