80,000 call for HKU to sack Benny Tai
More than 80,000 Hong Kong people signed an online petition requesting the University of Hong Kong to dismiss the 2014 “Occupy Central” movement initiator Benny Tai Yiu-ting as a law faculty member.
Initiated by lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, the sevenday petition prompting the removal of Tai, an associate professor of law at HKU, collected 80,623 signatures by Tuesday evening. Petitioners included 1,729 legal professionals and 8,808 educators.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Ho said he was encouraged by these figures, which reflected the social anger toward Tai who has been inciting young people to break the law in the name of “civil disobedience” since 2013.
“The University of Hong Kong can no longer turn a deaf ear,” said Ho, who last month sent a letter to the HKU Council urging Tai to be sacked.
He called for HKU to set up a commission to investigate Tai in accordance with the University of Hong Kong Ordinance and suspend Tai’s teaching work during the investigation.
Ho said he will write to the council again with more detailed requests this week.
On a radio program last week, Ho proposed his idea that Tai should no longer teach law at HKU as he has been “poisoning young minds”.
Under Tai’s incitement, a group of young people defied the law and committed offenses, and are facing judicial penalties including imprisonment, Ho said.
Educators have expressed their support of Ho’s move. Wong Kwan-yu, president of Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, said in an earlier interview that Tai should be ashamed that he used his profession as associ- ate professor of law at HKU to spread illegal advocacy.
Wong also said Tai should be sorry for the jailed students as their imprisonment leaves them with criminal records, which will have a negative impact on their future development.
On Aug 17, three student activists — Joshua Wong Chifung, Alex Chow Yong-kang and Nathan Law Kwun- — were jailed for six to eight months by the Court of Appeal for unlawful assembly and inciting others to participate. They led more than 100 protesters storming into the forecourt of the government headquarters in Admiralty in September 2014.
That was two days before the illegal “Occupy” protests broke out, when Tai took the lead and broke the law by asking people to block roads in Central.
The 79-day chaos caused gridlock in several key parts in the city.
In March, Tai and two other “Occupy” initiators Chan Kinman and Chu Yiu-ming were arrested and charged for their roles in the illegal movement.
The trio each faces three counts — conspiracy to commit public nuisance, inciting others to commit public nuisance and inciting people to incite others to commit public nuisance. The District Court will hear the case on Sept 19.
The University of Hong Kong can no longer turn a deaf ear.” Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, member of the Legislative Council