In Hong Kong, university students wore protest masks at a graduation ceremony.

They did it in reaction to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that have lasted for many months. In October, the Hong Kong government banned demonstrators from wearing masks.

The vice president of the university¢¥s student union said that the students did it to defend their rights to freedom of expression and speech. During the ceremony, students chanted and held banners which called for the government to react to the protesters¢¥ demands. These demands include the right to vote and independent police.

University officials held the graduation as planned, but they cut it short. The police did not arrest any students.

Difficult words: freedom of expression and speech (the right of all people to say openly what they think), chant (to sing or speak words over and over again very loudly), demand (a request).