Hongkongers mark 31st anniversary of Tiananmen crackdown despite vigil ban

As China tightened control over Hong Kong, pro-democracy activists sought ways to mark the 31st anniversary of Tiananmen on June 4. According to an international media report, the authorities in Hong Kong took the extraordinary move of cancelling the annual candlelight vigil in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory’s Victoria Park for the first time in 30 years. However, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic and Democratic Movements of China that organizes the annual vigil called on people around the city to light candles at 8pm and also plans to Livestream the commemorations on its website. 

It is believed that as China detested the vigil, the Hong Kong authorities cited the need for social distancing even though the city recently opened schools, beaches, bars and beauty parlours. While speaking to an international media outlet, Wu'er Kaixi, a former student leader who was No. 2 on the government's most-wanted list following the crackdown, said. “We all know the Hong Kong government and the Chinese government really don’t want to see the candle lights in Victoria Park”. 

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Kaixi added, “The Chinese Communists want us all to forget about what happened 31 years ago. But it is the Chinese government themselves reminding the whole world that they are the same government which 31 years ago suppressed the peaceful demonstrators and in the last year, the same government doing the same in Hong Kong”. 

The candlelight vigil usually attracts huge crowds and is also the only place on Chinese soil where such a major commemoration of the anniversary is still allowed, however, due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the authorities decided to ban the vigil. The cancellation of the vigil also comes less than a week after the Chinese Communist authorities in Beijing moved to enact new security laws on the former British colony. With fears of limits on free speech and political expression due to the new law, it is believed that it was a step by the Chinese Communist Party. 

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The Tiananmen crackdown

The Tiananmen crackdown began in 1989 when China’s leaders sent tanks and troops to quell student protesters calling for democracy and an end to corruption. According to reports, hundreds were killed and more than 1,000 perished. Three decades on, the crackdown still remains one of the most sensitive subjects in mainland China, however, in the semi-autonomous city, the member of Tiananmen has been kept alive. 

Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China said, "The ban comes amid an alarming acceleration of attacks on the autonomy of Hong Kong and the undermining of the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people guaranteed under Hong Kong and international law”. 

Even Amnesty International believes that the authorities should have facilitated a socially distanced vigil rather than banning it. “COVID-19 must not be used as an excuse to stifle freedom of expression," said Joshua Rosenzweig, the group's deputy director for East and Southeast Asia. “With this ban and a disastrous national security law looming, it is not clear if Hong Kong’s Tiananmen vigil will ever be allowed to take place again.”

(Inputs: AP; Image: @MinkysHighjinks/Twitter) 

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