The Hong Kong Buildings Management and Security Workers General Union was unable to freely organise its activities on the premises of Lingnan University. In August the university book store was pressured and refused to lend its venue to the union, which was preparing to organise a talk to the staff and employees jointly with the student group concerning labour issues at the campus. The school authority called the student group an illegal organisation and re-scheduled the staff training to dissuade them from joining the talk.
In addition, the school authority of City University City infringed the freedom of expression of the City University Staff Association by removing posters bearing the Chinese characters for “Hong Kong independence” on the union board, also known as the democracy wall. The university requested that the union remove all material and, after no action was taken, university management used red paper to cover the wall, prompting the student union to issue its ultimatum. The fight over control of a bulletin board at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) escalated after a large piece of red paper that management used to cover pro-independence messages was reportedly torn down by a student. Meanwhile, at the University of Hong Kong, posters and banners backing the Hong Kong National Party on its democracy wall were found to have been removed.