Largest Hong Kong Teachers' Union Disbands Amid Crackdown

HONG KONG - Hong Kong's largest teachers' union said it disbanded Tuesday because of the changing political climate, as the government continues its crackdown on dissent in the city. 

The Hong Kong government cut ties with the pro-democracy union last week and accused it of spreading anti-Beijing and anti-government sentiment. The split came hours after Chinese state media called the union a “malignant tumor” that should be eradicated.  The Professional Teachers’ Union is the city’s largest single-industry trade union, with 95,000 members.  “Regrettably, the changes in the social and political environment in recent years have forced us to think about the way forward, and some recent rapid developments have also put us under tremendous pressure,” the union said in a statement Tuesday.