• Hong Kong Baptist University suspends its student union following messages about fire victims.
• The union claims the suspension is unfounded and raises questions about ulterior motives.
• The recent fire in Tai Po killed at least 159 people, marking it as one of the deadliest in decades.
• Authorities have arrested individuals for alleged sedition amid rising demands for justice.
• Student unions have faced significant restrictions since the implementation of the national security law in 2020.

The Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has moved to suspend the operations of its student union following the posting of condolence messages related to a tragic fire that claimed at least 159 lives in Tai Po. The devastating blaze, described as the deadliest residential fire globally since 1980, prompted expressions of grief and calls for justice from the student body, leading to the university's decision announced on Friday, December 5, 2025, according to Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, and Al Jazeera.

The suspension, effective immediately, was communicated to the student union's acting executive committee, which was informed that operations would be halted for various reasons including low membership rates and alleged financial mismanagement, as stated in a letter from the university’s office of student affairs. The union has condemned these reasons as “hasty” and lacking credible justification, emphasizing that declining membership was partly due to the university's discontinuation of fee collection for union membership since the 2021–22 academic year, according to South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.

Messages posted on the student union’s “democracy wall” included expressions of condolences and calls for accountability from the government regarding the fire. The university responded by cordoning off this space and removing the messages, which the student union describes as an infringement on student expression and sends a clear signal of suppression amidst rising tensions in the city. As the union put it, this “irrational action raises concerns about potential ulterior motives behind this forced suspension,” underscoring fears about diminishing political freedoms within the university setting, according to Channel News Asia and Al Jazeera.

The HKBU incident occurs amid a broader landscape of repression against dissent in Hong Kong, particularly since the national security law was enacted in 2020. In response to the fire, authorities have warned against “exploiting the tragedy” and have begun arresting individuals for alleged sedition related to calls for accountability. This recent crackdown has raised alarms regarding the extent of political suppression and civil liberties in Hong Kong, where previously active student unions have either diminished in power or been entirely disbanded, reports South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.