'I'm not sure if I can go back to Hong Kong safely': the Australian uni students afraid to go home

As clashes continue on the streets of Hong Kong, protests have sprung up at some Australian universities. The Feed meets some international students at the centre of the debate.

University of Queensland student Phoebe grew up in Hong Kong and came to Australia as an international student for university.

Now, like many, she's watching weeks of protests unfold - thousands of kilometres away from home.

"It's my home and that is the place I'm familiar with and I have all my memories back there."

Phoebe is doing what she can to stand in solidarity with protesters.

Even though we are overseas we want to let them know we're with them.

"[and] to let the government know our demands even when we are overseas," she told The Feed.

It has been more than two months since the anti extradition bill protests erupted on the streets of Hong Kong.

Now they’re playing out nearly 7000km away, in Australia.

Conflicting views around Hong Kong and Chinese national identity came to a head at the University of Queensland campus three weeks ago, when a peaceful Hong Kong solidarity protest was met with a counter protest led by students from mainland China.

The counter protesters, who outnumbered the solidarity protesters, played the Chinese national anthem loudly on a speaker. The interruption escalated and resulted in a physical altercation between members of the two groups.

That clash would quickly become the subject of local and international media.

The fallout following the altercation saw reports that the Hong Kong students' political activity would be documented and sent to the Chinese government.

Fearing for her own safety, Phoebe is now protesting from behind a cleaning mask.

"We just found out our photos have been spread over the Chinese internet," she told The Feed

I'm worried that if the Hong Kong government or the Chinese government find out who I am, then I may not be able to go home,

"I do feel like I have to protect my identity in order to keep standing with the Hong Kong people."

Some students have also been reportedly doxed online.

"There are words under the comments section saying, you should go to hell," she said.

Other comments reportedly included; "you shouldn't disrespect the Chinese government" along with threats of shutting down any future Hong Kong solidarity protests.

In response, the students from Hong Kong have built a solidarity 'Lennon Wall'; a collaged display of support messages to the protesters in Hong Kong, along with a timeline of events and images of police brutality in the area.

The students from Hong Kong have built a solidarity ‘Lennon Wall’; a collaged display of support messages to the protesters in Hong Kong. Source: The Feed

The wall has been removed by unknown students three times, in secret overnight. Students attempting to take the wall down a fourth time were caught by UQ security and a Hong Kong student in the early hours of the morning last Friday.

Students from mainland China say they're also victims in these clashes.

Some students say they've themselves have been doxed, the main perpetrators being local - Australian - students.

One comment made by a local student on UQ StalkerSpace (an unofficial and public UQ student Facebook page) reads "Man I feel sorry for all you brainwashed CCP loyalists."

Another comment, made in response to a post about the UQ Lennon Wall being taken down says "Maybe the wall would track better with mainland students if they could understand it – so many strokes, so confusing."

A mainland Chinese student studying at UQ, who goes by the name Smile, said he feels victimised by the media and local students' portrayal of Chinese students.

Students from mainland China say they’re also victims in these clashes. Source: The Feed

"I do feel sorry about the things that happened a few weeks ago; the protest against the Hong Kong students and Mainland China students" he said.

We are blamed and labelled as the idiot, the evil and violently intervening other people's freedom of speech. That's something we are not happy with and we feel scared.

Students from Hong Kong have emphasised that their issues lie not with mainland Chinese students who hold conflicting views, but with those wanting to silence them from voicing their own opinions.

"I feel I'm restricted," Phoebe says from behind her mask.

"I feel like I have to censor myself before saying anything otherwise they will be triggered and then they will destroy our stuff."

She says she plans to return to Hong Kong one day.

"I want to say thank you to all the Hong Kongers that are fighting so hard for our freedom, for our values, for the place we love."