BREAKING: Hong Kong police deploy en masse, activists apprehended as Tiananmen crackdown commemorations muted
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong police have deployed en masse at key sites on the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, apprehending several people in Causeway Bay, including activist veteran activist Alexandra Wong.
At around 5pm on Sunday, veteran activist Alexandra Wong, popularly known as Grandma Wong, was apprehended by police in Causeway Bay, near where the city’s Tiananmen vigils were once held.
Three other people were taken away by police soon after, also in Causeway Bay.
On Saturday, police arrested four people and held another four for questioning, after activists and artists seeking to mark the anniversary were apprehended by officers in Causeway Bay.
It is the fourth year where no official commemorations have been scheduled. The police rejected applications to hold the annual, mass candlelight vigils in Victoria Park in 2020 and 2021 citing Covid-19 health concerns.
Before the pandemic and the implementation of the 2020 security law, Hong Kong was one of the only places in Chinese soil where public mourning of the crackdown was permitted. In June 2019, then-leader Carrie Lam said the vigils were “proof that Hong Kong is a free place. But, last month, top officials would not clearly state whether commemorations are still legal.
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.
Since the vigil organiser – the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China – disbanded in September 2021 – no other organisations have stepped up to organise the vigils.
See also: Redacted police reports reveal official views on Tiananmen crackdown
The 34th anniversary of the crackdown marks the first time since 2021 that the police did not cordon off Victoria Park. This year, instead of candlelight, the park is half-filled with stalls and shoppers as pro-Beijing groups hold a market – visitors must undergo security checks and pay HK$5 by Octopus card only. Last Monday, organising spokesperson Tang Ching-ho said the timing was “just a coincidence.”
See also: Is it legal for people to commemorate the Tiananmen crackdown?
Similar to last year, other parts of the football fields have been closed by the government “for maintenance.”
Christian petition
Since the disbandment of Hong Kong Christian Patriotic Democratic Movement in 2021, no organisation has issued a petition over the Tiananmen crackdown to the government.
However, 360 individuals, including co-organiser of the Umbrella Movement, Reverend Chu Yiu-ming, signed a prayer petition that was published in the Christian Times on Sunday.
See also: How Hong Kong sought to erase the memory of the Tiananmen Crackdown
“Thirty-four years of historical trauma will be diluted by time and forgotten under great pressure, we still persist in keeping watch and mourning,” the petition read. “Only with the power and execution of love can the tragedy of history can be resolved.”
Candle giveaways
Mong Kok’s AsOne store, run by ex-pro-democracy district councillor Derek Chu, was distributing electronic candles earlier on Sunday. Chu, who told HKFP that he was questioned by police about his plans, said he would not do any media interviews.
At his store, he was reading the script of the Tiananmen-related drama “May 35” by Candice Chong. He previously told HKFP that – over the past two days – the store saw government inspectors visit from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Audit Commission and the Fire Services Department. The latter visited the store three times in one day, citing public complaints, Chu said.
Another store in Sai Kung also saw officials visit from four different government departments in the days following a Tiananmen candle giveaway. Each department claimed they were making routine inspections or responding to complaints, when contacted by HKFP.
Support HKFP | Code of Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.
