Some teens, including those from Carrie Lam's alma matter, respond to Demosisto's call to get involved on or near their campuses
Students from Carrie Lam's alma mater gathered outside school and formed some human Lennon walls this afternoon.Several secondary schools responded to Demosisto’s call for a “Campus Lennon Wall Day” today, as they stuck sticky notes and spray painted areas near their schools . This came as a response to lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu’s call for a clean-up activity last Saturday.
At Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s alma mater, St Francis’ Canossian College, students built human Lennon Walls outside the school at about 1.30pm.
“We want to emphasise all of our demands,” said Kathy Lam, a 16-year-old member at the school’s anti-extradition bill concern group.
Students and teachers both report emotional problems caused by the anti-government demonstrations
“Our teachers took away all our leaflets on September 2 and 3, after we had distributed some before class,” she added. She explained that they thought it would be more suitable to build “human” Lennon Walls on Monday because the school did not allow them to build a physical one on campus, and because the area outside the school was a public area.
True Light Middle School of Hong Kong students also stuck up posters and tied white ribbons outside their school on Tai Hang Road. Some of them read slogans like, “Stand with HK, fight for freedom”, “Democracy now” and “Glory to Hong Kong”.
“The school previously told us that we should not post anything too political on the Lennon wall on campus and removed various posters from it as well,” said Lee, a 17-year-old student told Young Post. “We found it unreasonable and unacceptable. So we decided if our school bans any political stuff, we would just stick it outside.”
“Today’s activity is to protest against our school for repressing our freedom to express our political views,” she added. They also aimed to raise other students’ awareness of the anti-ELAB movement by putting up informative posters that explained the current social situation.
Students from Wah Yan College Hong Kong also acted in response to Demosisto’s response. They stuck posters and spray painted along the footbridge that leads up to their school on Queen’s Road East.
The black paint on the footbridge steps read: “Liberate Hong Kong, Revolution of our times!” and “Triads”. Multiple pictures of Ho surrounded the word “Triads”.
“We feel angered that Junius Ho initiated such an action to clear out the Lennon walls when [building them] is already the most peaceful way for protesters to express their feelings,” said Ngan, 16, a member of the school’s anti-ELAB concern group.
Some St Rose of Lima’s College students chose to stick more messages on an existing Lennon Wall in their neighborhood, on the footbridge connecting Lam Dai Fai College with City One MTR Exit B.
A 16-year-old student, surnamed Luk, was one of the students who decorated the Lennon Wall. She told Young Post that she and her peers tried to stick posters on the wall next to the school gates at 4pm, but later decided to relocate them to the footbridge nearby.
Opinion: Condemning violent protests doesn’t mean I don’t love Hong Kong
She said that a teacher warned them against their actions, stating they would “face serious consequences” if they continued. “I consider this to be white terror,” she said.
Another 17-year-old student student from the same school said: “We hope to [tell] the public ... that we, as students, should have our right to express our political stance in school, and that political affairs should be allowed to be discussed in school as long as it goes rationally.”
She added that they also wanted to show that students can express political views in a mild and peaceful way. “Everyone’s voice should be heard and respected regardless of their political stances. The schools, as an education institute, should not escape from their responsibilities of leading students to a peaceful [political discussion] as well,” said the student.
Make sure you’re taking care of your mental health in these uncertain times
Students at Holy Family Canossian College wrote messages on sticky notes and stuck them on a fence outside of their school as well. They also added explainers of what happened on August 11, where the police were accused by protesters of using excessive force against people, across several districts.
This morning, Salesian English School students spray painted slogans like “Free HK” and “Add oil HK” on a footbridge and a hill on Chai Wan Road, outside their school.