University in Hong Kong refuses to present degrees to students with umbrellas

HONG KONG – The President of Hong Kong’s Baptist University refused to present degree certificates to graduates who carried yellow umbrellas during their convocation ceremony, according to a report by news website South China Morning Post (SCMP).

A video uploaded on YouTube showed the president, Professor Albert Chan Sun-chi, gesturing to a student using a yellow umbrella to put it away before he could collect the degree certificate. The student proceeded to put down the umbrella but held on to it with his hand. When the student refused to put the umbrella away, the professor instructed him to get off the stage.

Source: Baptist University Student Union

Professor Chan reportedly said that he appreciated the “lofty ideals” of the students but that they showed disrespect for the occasion.

“Hanging around on stage with an umbrella did not look good. It was not raining. Today, they carried an umbrella; what if tomorrow they carry a flag?” said Professor Chan, who Is also a Hong Kong delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

According to SCMP, the four-day ceremony saw umbrella-wielding students on at least two occasions. In another incident, a student from the Academy of Visual Arts and School of Communication audaciously knelt on stage to present Professor Chan with a folded yellow umbrella.

The umbrella became a symbol of Hong Kong’s recent pro-democracy movement after protesters used them to shield themselves from tear gas and pepper spray attacks by the Hong Kong police. Many supporters also wear yellow ribbons - the official colour of the movement. Source: SCMP