Bernard Chan

Opinion | What US student protesters can learn from their Hong Kong peers

Protesters at my US alma mater chose confrontation over discussion, a reminder of the trauma of 2019, from which Hong Kong still suffers

Reading Time:3 minutes

Why you can trust SCMP

Police detain a demonstrator during a pro-Palestinian protest at Emory University on April 25, in Atlanta, Georgia. Some student protests at US colleges have turned violent. Photo: AFP

Bernard Chan

Published: 9:30am, 1 Nov 2024

I was saddened when a small group of Pomona College students in the United States recently barricaded themselves inside Carnegie Hall, causing significant damage and choosing violence over discussion.

They were a minority in a group that included masked protesters, some later identified as students from other Claremont Colleges, a consortium of seven independent institutions including Pomona.

Faculty members, students and even visiting high-schoolers were intimidated and forced to evacuate the building. Thankfully, student affairs and security staff de-escalated the situation. Had the police been called, many could have been arrested for criminal vandalism.

The situation is very personal. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from Pomona College and remain actively engaged as a trustee emeritus. I am well-acquainted with Carnegie Hall and cherish many happy memories of my time there and the lifelong friendships I formed.

The siege of Carnegie Hall on October 7 marked the anniversary of the atrocities in Israel and Palestine. The protesters want greater transparency in the college’s investment policy and divestment from corporations directly involved in or benefiting financially from the war.

Pro-Palestinian college students and supporters demonstrate at George Washington University, calling on the university to divest from companies that provide arms to Israel, in Washington, on April 26. Photo: EPA-EFE

This has been a subject of fierce debate at Pomona and many other US campuses. Pomona’s Board of Trustees and Investment Committee have consistently offered dialogue. But the students advocating divestment seem firmly focused on five specific demands, making constructive dialogue a challenge.