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Hong Kong Baptist University students apologise to teachers as ‘deadline’ to lift suspensions looms

Lau Tsz-kei and Andrew Chan Lok-hang offer in-person apologies but refuse to say if they will take action if their suspensions over Mandarin requirement protest are not lifted

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(From left) Lau Tsz-kei and Andrew Chan Lok-hang met three teachers face to face on Tuesday to offer an apology for ‘making them unhappy’ during a protest over the university’s Mandarin requirement. Photo: Winson Wong

Two Hong Kong Baptist University students suspended over an eight-hour campus stand-off this month apologised to teachers in person on Tuesday, the day before the deadline the pair gave administrators to lift their suspensions or face possible action.

Student union leader Lau Tsz-kei and Andrew Chan Lok-hang, convenor of a Cantonese language support group, met three teachers in private on Tuesday morning.

Hong Kong Baptist University to review Mandarin requirement in bid to ease tensions

The teachers were present during the protest on January 17 in which students were calling to scrap a Mandarin language graduation requirement.

The protest took place at the university’s language centre on January 17. Photo: Facebook
The protest took place at the university’s language centre on January 17. Photo: Facebook

“We already made a public apology last week, but we felt like we should apologise in person to them,” Lau said.

“[We wanted to apologise] for our attitude … and for the whole incident as it made them unhappy,” Chan said. “The teachers said they would forgive us and we reached a mutual understanding.”

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