In February 2017, the university said the Buddhist spiritual leader would be giving a commencement speech to graduating students. About 5,300 of the institution’s 8,792-strong foreign student body are from mainland China, and they protested against the speech using the hashtag #ChineseStudentsMatter – which critics say was co-opted from the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. The local chapter of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) strongly objected to the monk’s visit and said it would take “tough measures to resolutely resist the school’s unreasonable behaviour”.
The event went ahead despite a series of protests by the CSSA, who said they had consulted the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles beforehand.
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The event went ahead despite a series of protests by the CSSA, who said they had consulted the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles beforehand.
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