Dozens of Syracuse University students are studying abroad in Hong Kong while the city experiences historic protests that have grown into a pro-democracy movement.

The protests began on June 9 with a march against an extradition law proposed by the local government. The law would allow individuals who committed a crime to be sent to countries that Hong Kong doesn’t have a formal extradition treaty with, including China.

Cara Pomerantz, a junior anthropology and geography dual major, is one of 38 SU students currently in Hong Kong. She said in an email that she received texts alerts from both SU and Hong Kong police about times and locations of protests. In addition to getting daily notices from the university, there are also various protocols set up for students, said Julio Burgos, a junior economics major abroad in Hong Kong.

“We remain in close touch with our students throughout their time abroad,” SU Abroad said in an email.

The British Empire ruled Hong Kong as a colony until 1997, when Britain returned it to China as a special administrative region. Since then, China promised 50 years of “a high degree of autonomy,” including free speech, free press and capitalist markets. However, Hong Kong residents have said China is beginning to infringe on the city’s rights even though the promise of autonomy is not set to end until 2047.

Multiple news organizations have reported clashes between protesters and police throughout the demonstrations. CNN reported protestors have stormed and caused damage to government property. Police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to control the protestors, according to BBC.

Pomerantz and Burgos said the protests are more peaceful than they have been portrayed in media.

“The protests, contrary to how they have been portrayed in America, are largely nonviolent, and very civil — most of them are sit ins, with a bit of chanting, but I haven’t seen any outright violence yet, and I’ve walked right through the middle of a few of them,” Pomerantz said.

The two students said they feel safe in Hong Kong. SU student housing is not in the main areas of Hong Kong where the protests are, Pomerantz said. Students stay at either SU’s housing center in Hong Kong or in housing at the City University of Hong Kong.

Burgos said he has not encountered the protesters. On his first day of classes in Hong Kong, he experienced a traveling delay after protesters targeted a train station he used in his commute.

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SU Abroad said 41 students were originally enrolled in the Hong Kong program, and three chose not to attend. Classes for students in Hong Kong began last week, but students arrived in early August to participate in a seminar that included travels to China, Malaysia and Singapore.

Students in Hong Kong met with professors and experts to learn about the “historical and contemporary context and implications of the protests,” as part of their program orientation, SU Abroad said. They were also given the “standard American Citizen Services briefing.”

Syracuse Abroad center directors speak regularly with local police, the United States consulate or embassy and other study abroad program directors, among others, according to SU’s Study Abroad website. The abroad programs have a task force for emergencies as well as an emergency procedures manual. The plans are kept confidential for security purposes, per the website.

It is unclear how long the protests will last. Carrie Lam, chief executive of Hong Kong, indefinitely delayed the heavily-protested extradition law on June 15 and declared the law “dead” on June 14, per Reuters. On Sept. 4, Lam said she would officially withdraw the bill, which was one of the protesters demands, The New York Times reported.

Over the summer, the protesters list of demands grew to include an independent inquiry into policy conduct, an end to labeling the protests as riots, a restart of the electoral reform process and amnesty for arrested protestors, according to Bloomberg. Protesters have also called for Lam’s resignation.

“It’s an interesting moment to be here,” Burgos said. “We always say in the group, we’re living through history.”

Published on September 8, 2019 at 11:38 pm

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