Students at graduation call on Tong to retract criticism of gay marriage
NAOMI NGnaomi.ng@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 24 November, 2015, 2:58am
UPDATED : Tuesday, 24 November, 2015, 2:58am
Graduates hold up signs to the cardinal. Photo: Dickson Lee
A dozen students supporting LGBT rights chased after Hong Kong's Catholic bishop after staging a silent protest during a graduation ceremony yesterday afternoon, calling for him to retract his controversial criticisms of same-sex marriage.
"Shame on Cardinal John Tong Hon!" the group shouted while waving a rainbow flag, the symbol of gay pride, as 76-year-old Tong fled the Caritas Bianchi College of Careers by car.
A group of students who organised the Tseung Kwan O school's Sex Cultural Festival had earlier staged a 45-minute silent protest at the graduation ceremony attended by Tong, holding signs that read "Love No Limit" and "Accept all differences".
Several graduating students also took to the stage when receiving their certificates with signs saying "I want true acceptance" and "tertiary students support gays", placing them on the table before Tong, who chairs the school's board of governors.
Tong maintained a polite smile and nodded towards the students who had stickers and signs with gay rights messages pinned to the lapels of their graduation gowns.
In a pastoral letter dated November 5, Tong, the leader of the city's 379,000 Catholics, appealed to his flock to consider candidates' views on gay rights when voting in Sunday's district council elections. He added that "...sexual liberation and gay rights movements are challenging and twisting" the city's core values on marriage and family.
The students pursued Tong around the school grounds, asking him to retract his comments which they said discriminated against people with different sexual orientations. Security personnel had stopped the students crowding around Tong who did not respond to any questions.
"There is a growing majority of people who identify with different sexual orientations, and religious leaders need to be more tolerant and accept these people in society," said Chan Ka-man, a graduating student and LGBT supporter.
"The cardinal has taken a very hardline stance. I hope he can listen to the younger generation."
The students claimed the school had put pressure on them to remove rainbow-themed decorations and denied their application to stage a festival-related exhibition since the pastoral letter was issued, citing "religious reasons" and property management rights.
This was the seventh year the festival had been held and they had never received similar objections before, they said.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1882407/student-protesters-chase-after-hong-kong-cardinal-demanding
