【逃犯条例】张翔向港大师生发电邮重申反对暴力　无提收回谴责

《逃犯条例》争议未平息，港大校友关注组、港大学生会等组织，近日要求校长张翔撤回上周“谴责暴力”声明。约20名港大学生及旧生于今日（10日）下午2时，在校长室所在的钮鲁诗楼地下，向校长张翔递交声明。
张翔亲自收下学生的声明，承诺细阅。张翔晚上再向全校师生及校友发电邮，重申反对任何形式的暴力，没有再“谴责”。他期望每个香港人都可以认真考虑社会问题的根本原因，再共同为社会努力。
（电邮全文见本文最底）

2000港大人联署要求张翔回应三大诉求

港大学生、旧生及教职员发起联署有近2,000人参加，联署提出三大诉求，包括要求张翔收回7月3日发表的声明，停止谴责示威者；承诺保障港大学生和教职员之言论自由，及参与示威、集会、游行等社会运动之权益及承诺今后不会处分参与社会运动的学生及教职员，保障港大学术及研究自由。据港大《学苑》报道，张翔下午接过信件后承诺会细心阅读声明，希望能够尽快回应学生诉求。

立法会大楼日前发生的暴力事件，令我深感痛心，破坏性的行动应予谴责。同时，我也呼吁各方理性而务实地努力解决纷争，莫再诉诸对抗。在香港当前的困境下，我深信不同意见人士可以文明理性地共处; 而只要各方能够主动开展积极对话，社会的裂痕始终会得到复和，相信各界都愿意为了更加美好的香港而求同存异。

I am disheartened by the violence that occurred in the Legislative Council building and would like to condemn such destructive acts. （立法会大楼日前发生的暴力事件，令我深感痛心，破坏性的行动应予谴责）

Let me make it very clear that I am against violence, of any kind, by any party, and at any juncture. （我重申反对任何形式的暴力）

不过，三大诉求中，只有“承诺保障港大学生和教职员之言论自由”一项诉求有回应。张翔于晚上向师生及校友发出以《reaching out》（踏出一步）为题的电邮，虽然未再提谴责一词，但称反对任何形式的暴力。他称作为科学家，他只是说出他的说话，并非为了取悦或责怪任何人。对于其余两个诉求，张翔未有再回应。

张翔又指，当他看到7月1日晚上发生的事情（示威者冲击立法会）时，非常担心年轻人的生命和安全，担心会因此踏上不归路（reach the point of no return）。他表示，香港大学一直拥抱多元化，一如既往，校方支持学生自由表达自由，关心他们的安全和幸福；至于学术自由，言论自由和集会自由是大学的核心价值观，他保证会坚持这些价值观。

此外，张翔称留意到许多香港人本着和解和重建信任的精神发声，包括前首席大法官李国能，但这只是一个愈合过程的开始。他认为每个香港人，包括当权者都要认真考虑社会问题的根本原因。他相信只有透过互相了解和明白，才可克服目前的挑战和争议。他促请社会各方擕手合作、集思广益，为撕裂的社会共同努力。

港大校长张翔今日（10日）电邮全文（只有英文）

Dear students, colleagues, alumni and friends,

I wish to share my thoughts about the recent events. I have listened to your comments and I understand there are diverse views on my recent press statement. I also wish to take this opportunity to address concerns raised in open letters and petitions. 

Let me make it very clear that I am against violence, of any kind, by any party, and at any juncture.  As a scientist, I speak my mind. It was never my intention to please or to place blame. 
When I saw what was happening on the night of July 1st, I was very worried for our citizens’ lives and safety, including that of young people. Like many of you, I feared the worst. I feared we would reach the point of no return.

At HKU, we embrace diversity. During the past weeks, many colleagues have engaged with our students in different ways.   As always, we support our students in freely expressing themselves and we care about their safety and well-being. Academic freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly are core values of our University, and I pledge to uphold them.  

Many in Hong Kong have now spoken in the spirit of reconciliation and rebuilding trust, including the Hon Andrew Li, the First Chief Justice of the HKSAR.   But this is only the start of the healing process. We need everyone, including those in power, to seriously consider the underlying cause of the social issues and all the options and possibilities.

We have witnessed Hong Kong people taking to the streets peacefully. Let us continue our tradition of peaceful dissent and resolve our differences.  

I decided to come to Hong Kong after 29 years in the USA, because Hong Kong is unique, and it has tremendous potential. I am still learning about this special place, but what I have noticed most in the year I have been here is the resilience of Hong Kong, its people and its youth. 
Hong Kong faces many unprecedented challenges and contentious issues. But we shall only overcome them if we begin to reach out and understand each other. Please let us work together, and with our collective wisdom, reconcile our divided society for Hong Kong’s future.

Professor Xiang Zhang
President and Vice-Chancellor