Students try to do their part for Hong Kong
Watching police and protesters violently clash during an annual New Year’s Day protest march in Hong Kong was an all-too-familiar scene for University of Texas at Austin freshman Jesse Hui.
Hui witnessed similar protests when she visited family in Hong Kong last summer, as citizens began holding protests demanding democracy. She’s conflicted by the monthslong battle between citizens and China’s Communist Party-ruled central government based in Beijing — sad about the distress and violence, but inspired by a movement that could spark change.
The emotions morphed into guilt when she returned to Texas and began her first semester at UT. While students in Hong Kong were sacrificing their safety to fight for freedom, Hui’s college experience was comfortable.
“It was like I entered a parallel universe,” Hui said. “(I thought), ‘Are things in Hong Kong really happening?’ ”
China is one of the largest sources of the 1.1 million international college students in the U.S. In 20172018, more than 360,000 of those were from Hong Kong and the mainland. Many of these students
with strong ties to Hong Kong — self-proclaimed “Hong Kongers” — say they have felt hopeless, inspired and angry as they keep tabs on the conflict happening back home.
Some at Texas colleges are responding by staging rallies and protests, holding educational events and using the internet to keep the stateside international community abreast of the latest developments involving Hong Kong and the Chinese government.
The protests rocking Hong Kong concern legislation seeking to allow criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China, something critics fear would expose citizens to unfair trials and violent treatment. They also argue it will give China greater influence over Hong Kong and could be used to target activists and journalists. The bill was withdrawn in September, but the demonstrations continued because of fears it could be revived. What protesters’ demand now is full democracy and an inquiry into police actions.
“We’re fighting to preserve (Hong Kong’s) values, which include freedom of speech and other rule of laws inherited from Western society when Hong Kong was colonized,” said Michelle, 28, a doctoral student at Baylor College of Medicine who declined to give her last name because of concerns for her safety. “Slowly these values will be eroded. … If we don’t do something now, there will be no more freedom.”
Michelle and Hui are active on Facebook, posting on such pages as “TK4HK - Texans Supporting Hong Kong.” Hui and the group, which has 375 members online, held an anti-totalitarianism rally in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong at the Texas Capitol in September. The rally also spilled onto the UT campus, where signs and banners championed the cause.
Similarly, Facebook’s Houstonbased “Hong Kong Dossier” page works to promote and update followers about Hong Kong’s progress toward democracy while also offering a space to organize. It was launched in September by Chris Wong, 31, a Hong Kong native and recent Baylor College of Medicine graduate.
The group, which has more than 280 followers, has held rallies at Hermann Park, hosted an educational table at the Holocaust Museum Houston during a Human Rights Day event and improvised its own “Lennon Wall,” modeled on the one in Prague inspired by the late Beatle and featuring graffiti, pieces of lyrics and designs related to global and local causes. The Houston Lennon Wall focuses on people’s thoughts and feelings on the situation in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Dossier also hosted demonstrations at Toyota Center ahead of Rockets games, following general manager Daryl Morey’s pro-Hong Kong democracy tweet that brought an immediate backlash from China and distancing by Tilman Fertitta, the team’s billionaire owner. The NBA controversy put at stake millions of dollars in Chinese sponsorships, TV deals and ticket sales.
At Texas A&M University, doctoral student Jerry Yiu makes posters, posts on social media about the protests and translates videos and articles from Cantonese to English. President of the university’s Hong Kong Student Association, Yiu said it’s “hard to adjust, hard to sleep at night.”
The activism comes with a price.
“There’s a lot of fear that I feel for other people from Hong Kong,” Wong said.
Michelle, who wears a mask on camera during interviews and during public demonstrations, added, “I do feel like there are certain precautions that we have to take. … Our fear is not just being attacked by individuals, but by an actual government.” The Baylor student also doesn’t use her real name on Facebook or social media forums that discuss Hong Kong.
With some labeled as rioters or even terrorists, many protesters are paranoid that their actions — even on U.S. soil — could jeopardize their ability to return home to Hong Kong or put their lives or their family members in danger, Yiu said. In some cases, they fear being spied on, harassed or even outed to Chinese government officials by Chinese students who aggressively support the Community Party-ruled government.
Out of such fear, Yiu said he choose to not involve the Hong Kong Student Association at Texas A&M in his pro-democracy efforts in fear of putting other students who are from Hong Kong or interested in learning about Hong Kong citizens in harm’s way. Those that do join him in his online efforts stay anonymous.
“I don’t want to risk safety just so we can present a message,” Yiu said.
Still, students expressed hope that the protests will bring change. They note that not only are many students of Chinese descent in Texas supportive, many non-Chinese have taken interest and shown solidarity. Yiu and Michelle said they’ve also seen a powerful shift back home in Hong Kong, with more interest from everyday people.
“Before, many people in Hong Kong were very apolitical,” Yiu said. “But now, it’s not just students. Lawyers, businessmen, teachers, regular people — they all see the importance of speaking up.”
“Finally,” Yiu added, “we’re waking up.”
Perhaps no one feels that more than Hui, who, in her mind, was transported back to Hong Kong at night after days spent in classes. She watched marches and kept abreast of developments online, made posters and signs for rallies and collaborated with groups on the internet to help organize protests locally.
“Seeing people in Hong Kong being in much more dangerous situations than I am … I’d be very selfish if I did not do something in my comfortable position,” Hui said. “I literally don’t have an excuse.”
Still, there’s much more to come, Michelle said.
“It’s a war, and we’ve only seen a battle,” she said. “It’s a long-term fight.”
“We’re fighting to preserve (Hong Kong’s) values, which include freedom of speech and other rule of laws inherited from Western society when Hong Kong was colonized. Slowly these values will be eroded. … If we don’t do something now, there will be no more freedom.”
Michelle, a doctoral student at Baylor College of Medicine who declined to give her last name because of concerns for her safety