Photo:AFP

 
Protest organizers should be blamed for the death of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) student, said a former HKUST council member.

In a letter to HKUST council head, ex-council member Cao Shigu said the real "murderers" of HKUST student Chow Tsz-lok, who died Friday from injuries sustained after falling from a parking garage, are the protest organizers.

Cao also said the protest organizers have done nothing to ensure safety, and have only instigated students to charge the frontlines, even though the university has repeatedly reminded students about safety concerns.

After Chow was injured, protest organizers tried to blame others to create a diversion, apply pressure on the university, disturb the congregation, while rioting on campus.

Following Chow's death, university rioters vandalized facilities, ransacked a professor's office and the school president's home in the name of "mourning Chow."

Cao urged the university to condemn the organizers, conduct an investigation into the riots, and dismiss security manager, who Cao believed failed in his responsibilities to maintain order during the rioting on campus. 

On Monday, black-clad HKUST students gathered on campus to show their support for Chow. They held HKUST president captive for six hours, while falsely accusing a Chinese mainland teacher of sexual harassment.

On Wednesday, a Chinese mainland student accused of shoving a protester was beaten by rioters. When security guards tried to protect him, protesters struck the student's head and attacked him with umbrellas.