The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has replaced its student “Democracy Wall” with digital displays, after the campus bulletin board was left largely empty for years.

The University of Hong Kong replaced its student “Democracy Wall” with digital displays in September 2026. Photo: Courtesy of InMedia.

The wall, located outside the main library, was boarded up in August. A notice was placed on the boards reading: “sustainable campus, smarter billboards” and “coming soon.”

By last Friday, the start of the new student year, electronic screens had been unveiled at the site, according to InMedia.

In response to HKFP last month, HKU said in an email that it was “progressively digitalising notice boards in common areas on campus.”

The University of Hong Kong replaced its student “Democracy Wall” with digital displays in September 2026. Photo: Courtesy of InMedia.

“This exercise is aimed at promoting environmental sustainability by reducing paper waste, maximising limited campus space through rotating displays, and enhancing operational efficiency,” they added. “The digital notice boards will continue to be dedicated to student affairs and campus life updates.”

Unlike paper notices, a typical high-brightness 85 inch to 98 inch display running for 16 hours each day would consume roughly 8 to 14 kWh of power per day.

Campus free speech

Once a space where students put up notices, including pro-democracy posters and slogans, the “Democracy Wall” was stripped bare by the university in July 2021.

The boarded up “Democracy Wall” at the University of Hong Kong in August 2026. Photo: hkusenateug_cln, via Instagram.

The move came days after student union leaders stepped down following fierce criticism from the Security Bureau over comments they made praising the “sacrifice” of a man who killed himself after stabbing a police officer.

A dean of students said at the time that the operation was the result of the university’s decision earlier that year in April to sever ties with its student union, saying it would “enforce management rights” over its premises and cut all financial support.

The previous “Democracy Wall” at the University of Hong Kong. Photo: CampusTV HKUSU.

Other landmarks of student activism have also disappeared over the years since the Beijing-imposed national security law was enacted in June 2020.

The Pillar of Shame, a Tiananmen crackdown monument, was removed in late 2021 and has since been replaced by a seating area.

Outside a university hall, a section of a bridge painted with a slogan mourning victims of the Tiananmen crackdown was covered in January 2022.

The university no longer has a student union, after it stopped recognising the union in 2021 and barred it from using campus facilities.

Additional reporting: Hillary Leung.