Harvard probed over alleged harassment of students during anti-CCP protest
House officials initiated a probe into Harvard University after students protesting a speech by Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng on April 20 were removed from the event and allegedly harassed by Chinese students. Students Cosette Wu and Tsering Yangchen were physically dragged out of the room, with Wu being forcefully thrown by a Chinese student and Yangchen being followed and intimidated for the names of the other protesters at the event.
- Concerns of officials: The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party expressed concerns about possible transnational repression by the Chinese government and the involvement of international students from China in acts of harassment. They urged Harvard to protect students from Beijing’s influence and asked the school for details about the event’s security, disciplinary actions against the involved students and measures to ensure students’ freedom of expression.
- Chinese influence on U.S. campuses: Chairman John Moolenaar also cited a recent case where a former Berklee College of Music student from China was convicted for threatening a fellow student over pro-democracy flyers. He emphasized the increasing presence of Chinese students in the U.S. since 2009 and the corresponding rise in Chinese government attempts to monitor and manipulate them through organizations like the Chinese Students and Scholars Associations. Moolenaar asked, “Did Harvard exercise sole responsibility for security at the event? If not, did Harvard partner with representatives of the Chinese government or any private agency?”
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