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Hong Kong officials have given up a plan to make students take Chinese patriotism classes after protests. Residents of the former British colony resented the plans, and said that the children were sought to be ‘brainwashed’ by Beijing. According to The Guardian, the semi-autonomous Chinese city’s leader, Leung Chun-ying, said the government would leave it up to schools to decide whether to start the classes, and that it would not be mandatory. Leung’s move comes after a week of protests by thousands in front of the government headquarters. The decision comes a day before elections for the city’s legislature, the report said. Chinese officials, however, were concerned that opposition to the compulsory Chinese education would damage the prospects for pro-Beijing candidates for Hong Kong’s legislature, it added.

Hong Kong forced to drop compulsory Chinese patriotism classes