Latest news with #HongKongAllianceinSupportofPatrioticDemocraticMovementsofChina
HKFP
3 days ago
- General
- HKFP
Foreign diplomatic missions in Hong Kong mourn Tiananmen crackdown with social media posts
Four diplomatic missions in Hong Kong – the consulates general of Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US – have taken to social media to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing. The US, Canadian, and Australian consulates general shared photos of candles on Facebook on Wednesday. In a caption accompanying the photo, the Australian mission wrote: 'On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989.' It added: 'Australia remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights – including freedom of association, freedom of expression and freedom of political participation.' The Canadian consulate wrote: 'We won't forget #June4,1989: the tragic date when peaceful demonstrators were violently suppressed in and around Beijing's #TiananmenSquare. Canada joins Hong Kong and the international community in solemn remembrance.' The US mission also shared a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying that 'the world will never forget' the crackdown, although Beijing 'actively tries to censor the facts.' Meanwhile, the UK consulate general posted a black-and-white photo showing an empty chair, the Roman numerals 'VIIV' – an apparent reference to June 4, the date of the 1989 crackdown, and a Chinese phrase: 'Don't want to remember; don't dare to forget.' The phrase is a slogan chanted during Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen candlelight vigils before they were banned in 2020. Vigils banned The Tiananmen crackdown occurred on June 4, 1989, ending months of student-led demonstrations in China. It is estimated that hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the People's Liberation Army cracked down on protesters in Beijing. Hong Kong used to be the only place on Chinese soil – besides Macau – where commemoration of the crackdown could be held in public. Tens of thousands of residents gathered annually in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay for candlelight vigils on June 4 every year to mourn the victims. But authorities banned the Tiananmen vigil gathering at Victoria Park for the first time in 2020, citing Covid-19 restrictions, and imposed the ban again in 2021, nearly a year after a national security law imposed by Beijing came into effect. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised the vigils, disbanded in September 2021 after several of its members were arrested. With public commemoration of the crackdown becoming rare, some foreign consulates in the city continue to remember the event openly. For the third year, a days-long patriotic food carnival organised by pro-Beijing groups is being held in Victoria Park on the crackdown anniversary day. A heavy police presence can be spotted patrolling the park, the former site of the candelight vigils, on Wednesday. Detained barrister-activist Chow Hang-tung, formerly vice chairperson of the Alliance, said in a social media post on Sunday that she would launch a 36-hour hunger strike in prison to mark the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. Chow, two former Alliance chairpersons, and the Alliance itself stand accused of subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law. They face life behind bars if convicted.
HKFP
3 days ago
- General
- HKFP
Heavy police presence on eve of Tiananmen anniversary, performance artist escorted away by officers
A heavy police deployment has been spotted in Causeway Bay on the eve of the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary, with a performance artist being searched and escorted to an MTR station. Police officers patrolled Victoria Park – the former site of the city's annual vigils for the Tiananmen crackdown – and its vicinity on Tuesday, one day before the 36th anniversary of the crackdown. Outside the Sogo department store, plainclothes officers stopped and searched performance artist Chan Mei-tung as she was chewing bubble gum. The officers set up a cordon and told reporters to stay on the other side of the road as they warned Chan and filmed the scene. They then escorted Chan to the Causeway Bay MTR station and waved goodbye to her as she walked through the station's gates, photos from local media outlets showed. Chan was arrested for disorderly conduct on the eve of the anniversary in 2022, after standing outside Sogo and peeling potatoes. Hometown Market Meanwhile, a patriotic food carnival called the Hometown Market in Victoria Park attracted 100 to 200 visitors on Tuesday afternoon. Booths manned by pro-Beijing groups sold food like broth packs and roasted lamb, while visitors played with virtual reality headsets and robots. The five-day event, which began on Sunday, will continue until Thursday. According to the organiser, the market features nearly 300 booths involving 30 clan associations representing provinces across mainland China, such as Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi. This is the third year that the Hometown Market has been held in Victoria Park on the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Beijing-imposed national security law, tens of thousands of Hongkongers gathered for an annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park on June 4 to mourn the bloody crackdown on student-led protests at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The number of deaths is not known, but it is believed that hundreds, if not thousands, perished during the People's Liberation Army's dispersal of protesters, which ended on June 4, 1989. Police banned the Tiananmen vigil gathering at Victoria Park for the first time in 2020, citing Covid-19 restrictions, and imposed the same ban in 2021, nearly a year after the national security law came into effect. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised the vigils, disbanded in September 2021 after several of its members were arrested. Commemorations by small shops While there have not been any major commemorations of the Tiananmen crackdown in recent years, small shops have taken it upon themselves to mark the anniversary. Heung Together, a shop in Sham Shui Po selling incense and fragrances, published a post on Instagram, saying that it was selling tea candles for '$6.4.' Tea candles have 'multiple uses,' the post on Monday read, including for mourning victims, serving as a light source during blackouts, and warming up teapots. The shop is run by former Tsuen Wan district councillor Katrina Chan. AsOne, a shop owned by another ex-district councillor, Derek Chu, posted on Instagram on Monday that it would display candles on June 4 to 'mourn the students and citizens who sacrificed themselves for the pro-democracy movement.' Chu has also staged commemorations in previous years. Last year, he displayed candles in his shop but removed them after plainclothes officers visited. In 2023, Chu attempted to organise a private screening of a documentary called To Be Continued, which is about the State Theatre building in North Point, on June 4. However, Golden Scene Cinema, which hosted the screening, cancelled the event days before it, saying it was reminded by an industry representative that the date of the planned screening was 'sensitive.'
HKFP
4 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
‘Any activity on any date' must be lawful, Hong Kong leader says ahead of Tiananmen crackdown anniversary
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee has said that 'any activity on any date' must comply with the law – ahead of the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown on Wednesday. Endangering national security is a serious offence, Lee warned during a weekly press conference on Tuesday, adding that law enforcement actions would be 'swift and tough.' 'Any activities held on any date must comply with the law. They cannot break the law,' Lee said in Cantonese. 'Law enforcement departments will target any breach of the law in a swift and tough manner in accordance with the law,' he added. The chief executive made the remarks as a reporter asked him if Hong Kong residents could light candles or wear clothes bearing slogans on June 4 to remember the crackdown in Beijing 36 years ago. The reporter also asked if merely showing up in Causeway Bay – where annual candlelight vigils used to be held before they were banned by authorities – on Wednesday may risk breaking the law, citing some activists who said they were called by police about their plans on June 4. Lee made no direct comment on the question. However, he said the authorities would target acts endangering national security and strictly enforce the law. Hong Kong used to be the only place on Chinese soil – besides Macau – that commemoration of the crackdown could be held in public. Tens of thousands of residents gathered annually in the city's Victoria Park for candlelight vigils on June 4 to mourn the victims, after Beijing sent troops to Tiananmen Square to end months-long pro-democracy protests on that day in 1989. The number of deaths is not known, but it is believed that hundreds, if not thousands, died during the People's Liberation Army's dispersal of protesters. Hong Kong police banned the Tiananmen vigil gathering at Victoria Park for the first time in 2020, citing Covid-19 restrictions, and imposed the ban again in 2021, nearly a year after a national security law imposed by Beijing came into effect. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised the vigils, disbanded in September 2021 after several of its members were arrested. Since then, a heavy police presence could be seen in the areas surrounding Victoria Park on June 4, and individuals doing acts of mourning had been stopped and searched by officers. Last year, four people were arrested near Causeway Bay on June 4. Detained barrister-activist Chow Hang-tung, formerly vice chairperson of the Alliance, said in a social media post on Sunday that she would launch a 36-hour hunger strike in prison to mark the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. Chow, two former Alliance chairpersons, and the Alliance itself stand accused of subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law. They face life behind bars if convicted. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
HKFP
5 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Detained Hong Kong activist Chow Hang-tung to launch 36-hour hunger strike on Tiananmen crackdown anniversary
Hong Kong barrister-activist Chow Hang-tung has announced that she will launch a 36-hour hunger strike in prison on Wednesday to mark the 36th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. The 39-year-old activist, who has been detained since September 2021 pending trial under the national security law, said in a Patreon post on Sunday that she would commemorate June 4 and 'reaffirm our commitment' by fasting for 36 hours. This is the third year that Chow has planned a hunger strike behind bars to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. She began a 34-hour hunger strike on June 4, 2023, and vowed to extend her fast by one hour each year. 'I believe we all will have our own ways to remember the day,' read the post shared by Chow's Patreon account, which is managed by the activist's family and friends. Chow is the former vice chairperson of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen vigils. She is facing trial for incitement to subversion alongside the group and its two former leaders, Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho. According to the Judiciary's website, Chow, Lee, and Ho are set to appear in court on August 4 for a second pre-trial review. Chow is also expected to make an application for quashing her indictment on November 3, a week before the 75-day trial is scheduled to begin on November 11. For three decades, the alliance organised an annual candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown, which occurred on June 4, 1989. It is estimated that hundreds, perhaps thousands, died when the People's Liberation Army quashed a student-led pro-democracy movement in Beijing. The vigil in Victoria Park has been banned since Beijing imposed a security law on the city in June 2020. The Alliance voted a year later to disband after its former leaders were prosecuted. In the Patreon post, Chow also reflected on winning an appeal at the city's top court in March, which quashed her conviction and those of two other former Alliance members for failing to comply with a national security police data request. The three were jailed for four and a half months each in August 2023 and had completed their term before winning the final appeal. The case was a 'manifestation of justice and the rule of law' for those implicated, she said. However, there is still a need to reflect on 'how such injustice has occurred,' she added. Chow accused the Department of Justice and the court of concurring with 'false accusations' made by the national security police that the Alliance had been a foreign agent. She said the 'actual crime' in the case was the 'smearing and prosecution of citizens.' 'Indeed, the criticism for this so-called technical victory should have focused on the lenient treatments of these evildoers,' she wrote. Chow added she had demanded that Secretary for Security Chris Tang apologise after the top court's ruling, but she was 'not certain' about how long it would take for the apology to come. 'History tells us that it will likely take a very long time – The Tiananmen Mothers have been waiting for 36 years and still have not received an apology. However, they have not given up on holding the government accountable,' she wrote. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
HKFP
26-05-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Patriotic carnival to return to Hong Kong's Victoria Park on anniversary of Tiananmen crackdown
For the third consecutive year, Hong Kong's Victoria Park – historically the site of annual candlelight vigils to remember the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown – will host a patriotic food carnival on June 4. The Hometown Market will be held from Sunday, June 1, to June 5, featuring nearly 300 booths, according to the organisers' Facebook page. During the five-day event, 30 clan associations representing provinces such as Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi will run booths selling local delicacies. There will also be 'innovative technology and sports experience zones,' the pro-Beijing organisers also said. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Beijing-imposed national security law, tens of thousands of Hongkongers gathered for an annual candlelight vigil on June 4 to mourn the bloody crackdown on student-led protests at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The number of deaths is not known, but it is believed hundreds, if not thousands, perished during the People's Liberation Army's dispersal of protesters, which ended on June 4, 1989. Police banned the Tiananmen vigil gathering at Victoria Park for the first time in 2020, citing Covid-19 restrictions, and imposed the same ban in 2021, nearly a year after the national security law came into effect. The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which organised the vigils, disbanded in September 2021 after several of its members were arrested. No official commemoration has been held since then. The park also played host to the Hometown Market last year and the year before, with police patrolling the vicinity, stopping and searching passersby. In recent years, the Hong Kong government has referred to the Tiananmen anniversary as a 'sensitive date,' while statues and artworks paying tribute to the 1989 crackdown have been removed from the city's university campuses. The Pillar of Shame monument disappeared from the University of Hong Kong in a covert overnight operation on December 23, 2021. The next day, the Goddess of Democracy statue was taken away from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, while the Tiananmen Massacre wall relief was removed from Lingnan University.
