The former president of a Cornell pro-democracy group claims he was assaulted while putting up posters in the Ithaca Commons.
Kinen Kao ‘22 posted his account of what happened on the Society for the Promotion of East Asian Liberty’s Instagram account. “Just now (around June 8 [6:30 PM]), I was assaulted by a man in the Ithaca Commons, who tore down my Free Hong Kong and Free Uyghurs posters before pushing me to the floor, leaving wounds on my left hand,” he wrote in the post. Kao also claims that, while trying to record his attacker, the criminal attempted to seize his phone.
The video provided by SPEAL appears to briefly show a physical altercation between the man and Kao, while another clip clearly shows the individual tearing down a poster in the Ithaca Commons. Additionally, Kao uploaded a photo of his injuries following the incident. As of now, the perpetrator has not been identified.
During his time at Cornell, Kao has been a vocal pro-Hong Kong activist, raising awareness for the cause and organizing several protests; however, he is not without critics. Kao’s posters have been repeatedly vandalized, sometimes being painted over and some have even been burned. In an interview with the Review, Kao said he has been verbally confronted at least twice while putting up the posters on campus, but that this was the first time he was physically assaulted.
Kao also told the Review that he believes this incident will demonstrate how freedom of speech can be suppressed beyond China’s borders. He noted, “Tomorrow is the three year anniversary of the start of the 2019 protest, when 1 million people marched against the extradition bill.” Kao hopes that more people will recognize that Hongkongers are still fighting for their freedom, even three years after the start of the now-famous protests. For now, Kao will continue his activities undeterred by tonight’s assault.
