of the Conservancy Association, were also involved in assessing the tree's health. It was assured that the tree, although tilting slightly, did not pose any immediate danger. It was later revealed that the consultancy appointed by the school earlier that year, which suggested removing the tree, had a conflict of interest, because the consultancy itself was also in the tree removal business. The company would potentially benefit from the removal works later on by presenting the case in a certain way. The claims that the consultancy made about termites were dismissed by academics and independent experts. The observation of excessive tree sap was also interpreted as safe, contrary to the consultancy report. Some solutions put forward included fixing the trunk against the school building and installing a stabilising system for trees. The former was rejected by the school management, as the school building was declared a monument a year before and fixing the tree to the building might risk damaging the building itself. In the end, the Government intervened and it was agreed that the tree would be conserved. The Development Bureau allocated about HKD500,000 to fund the cause. On 4 February 2010, the school announced that due to drainage works, the roots of the tree were severely damaged beyond repair, and it was decided that the tree would be felled. The announcement caused outrage among many students, who thought that the decision was hasty and did not take into consideration expert advice. On 5 February, Mrs Helen Yu, the Supervisor of the Primary Section, herself a former student, reiterated in a Press Conference that the decision was a painful but necessary one. She also alleged that some former students were irresponsible for putting forward a conspiracy theory. On the same day, a former student issued a letter through a solicitor to the school, claiming that the school did not have the legal grounds to cut the tree. Through an indirect channel, the former students were informed that the decision to cut the tree down had been made even before the two experts appointed by the Government had completed or submitted the report. The lack of transparency in the decision-making process and the school management's unwillingness to conserve the tree disappointed the former students. On 6 February, at around 4 am, the Police sealed off a section of Waterloo Road between Flint Road and Boundary Street. At 6 am, the