Singing Can Get You into Trouble

Students form a human chain to protest a teacher's sacking

These days singing a song can you get you into trouble with the authorities.

Students at Heung To Middle School in Kowloon Tong formed a human chain outside their school in protest of a music teacher who was fired for letting some students sing Glory to Hong Kong before an exam.

The students also chanted slogans and criticized the school authorities for not renewing the teacher's contract, accusing them of spreading "white terror".

Students said the teacher was politically neutral

A large group of police officers showed up an hour after the protest started, around 1.30pm and warned the students of not obeying social-distancing rules. The protest, which was also supported by some alumni, broke up soon after.

One of the students said the popular teacher had taught at the school for 12 years and did not demonstrate any particular political leaning.

The teacher wrote an email to students and teachers saying her contract would not be renewed, and did not give a reason why.  

Meanwhile the school sent out an email to parents, saying it was a "patriotic school by tradition", which guides the students to "love the country and identify themselves as Chinese".

One of the students who sang at the exam said the teacher didn't stop them from choosing the song, but to choose it carefully, and if any students felt uncomfortable about the song could leave the room.

Yeung warns of "political propaganda" in schools

This is the first school to face the pressure of having to deal with the situation should students participate in "political propaganda".

Yesterday Education Secretary Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said students should not sing songs on campus that are "political propaganda", and that it would be left to schools to decide what should and shouldn't be allowed.

He had earlier sent a letter to schools,

saying students should not boycott classes, shout slogans in schools, form human chains, put up posters, or sing songs with political messages.

The school could have punished the students, but instead chose to fire the teacher; either way it sends chills to students and staff that the school means business.

And then this evening hundreds of protesters gathered across the city ignoring social distancing regulations to also sing Glory to Hong Kong, and shout slogans, only to have police aggressively pounce on them. Police say 35 people were arrested, and one pro-Beijing man attacked protesters with a knife and was subdued.

Protesters out in force in Causeway Bay tonight

These people are being repressed from exercising their freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law -- freedom of expression and freedom of assembly.

Pretty soon Hong Kong will become a silent city, where no one dares to speak out. How can anyone have confidence in a society like that?