bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Jeffie Lam

The American photographer who took the iconic picture of a lone man confronting four tanks near Tiananmen Square during the June 4 crackdown will attend the annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park to commemorate the disaster's 25th anniversary.
"More and more young people around the world have forgotten what happened in 1989 when, for a very short moment, one of the largest communist countries in the world was free," Jeff Widener told the Post.
"I want to [witness 300,000 Hongkongers] make a statement that 'Tank Man' and all those who died for their cause have not been forgotten."
Widener's picture captured a lone man - commonly identified as Wang Weilin - stood unmoving in the path of four oncoming tanks.
The picture, taken on the morning of June 4, shocked the world.
But taking it required far more than simply pressing the shutter button - it took courage and the help of equally brave people.
Despite the gunfire, Widener, a picture editor with the Associated Press at the time, headed to the Beijing Hotel, reasoning that it would offer the best vantage point of the occupied Tiananmen Square.
"At that moment, all I wanted to do was run and hide, but I knew I had no choice but to do what my job required," he recalled. "I was scared to death."
An American college student named Kirk Martsen led him into the hotel, which was guarded by security.
"I said 'Hi Joe, where you been?' And then I whispered, 'I am from Associated Press, can I come up to your room?'," Widener said.
The balcony of Martsen's sixth-floor room was where Widener took the photo that has since become a piece of history.
Less well-known is that the student was also responsible for the film Widener used.
"I ran out of film. I asked Kirk if he could try to get me some more," Widener recalled. "After about two hours, Kirk returned with one roll of 100 ISO Fuji film. He had to convince a tourist in the deserted lobby to give it up."
Martsen also smuggled Widener's images out of the hotel. The student stuffed the rolls of film in his underwear and cycled over to the American embassy - which helped forward the pictures to the Associated Press newsroom, and then to the world.
Looking back, Widener said both the activists and military had made mistakes in 1989.
"Though young people were killed, soldiers died as well," he said. "The bottom line is people should have a right to decide their fate, and as long as the Beijing government denies this natural-born right of all citizens, they can never expect to sleep relaxed at night."
Widener, now a freelance photographer in Germany, is planning an exhibition in Lucca, Italy, that will highlight images of the crackdown. He will stay in Hong Kong and hold talks about his experience until June 7.
 


Thanks to Trump, US threat of a ‘peaceful evolution’ recedes for China

Hong Kong police arrest 2, take away 10 at Tiananmen commemoration

2 arrested, 10 taken away as Hong Kong police ramp up Tiananmen vigil patrols

China hits out at Marco Rubio over criticism of 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown

Tiananmen Square crackdown

'Many have forgotten the brief moment China was free', says Tiananmen 'tank man' photographer

Jeff Widener was in Beijing working for the Associated Press on June 4, 1989. His image of "Tank Man" shocked the world. Photo: Corinna Seidel

Jeff Widener was in Beijing working for the Associated Press on June 4, 1989. His image of "Tank Man" shocked the world. Photo: Jeff Widener & Associated Press

June 4, 1989 events in China still have a profound effect on Hong Kong's political scene

Protesters attend a rally in Hong Kong in May 1989 backing China's pro-democracy movement. They include Martin Lee (far left), pro-Beijing trade unionist Cheng Yiu-tong (second from left) and Szeto Wah (far right). Photo: Oliver Tsang

People still flock to Victoria Park in large numbers every year on June 4 to mark the anniversary of the 1989 suppression. Photo: AFP

Martin Lee Chu-ming

Ho Ming-Sze

Tank Man photographer Jeff Widener on the making of an iconic image

Jeff Widener's iconic image of Tank Man. Photos: Jeff Widener/Associated Press

Troops occupy Tiananmen Square on June 5, 1989, as seen from the roof of the Beijing Hotel.

Protesters attempt to stop a burning armoured personnel carrier on Changan Boulevard in the early morning of June 4, 1989. A minute after this image was taken, a stray rock hit Widener in the head. His camera absorbed the blow and may have saved his life.

Protesters climb aboard an armoured personnel carrier in front of the locked gates leading to the Great Hall of the People.

Protesters show a picture of dead friends and colleagues killed during the crackdown.

Jeff Widener (left) and fellow photographer Liu Heung Shing in Tiananmen Square before the crackdown.

News

Hong Kong

Photographer behind 'Tank Man' image will attend Victoria Park vigil in show of remembrance


The photographer who took the iconic picture of a lone man confronting four tanks near Tiananmen Square during the June 4 crackdown will attend a candlelight vigil to commemorate the 25th anniversary.


'Many have forgotten the brief moment China was free', says Tiananmen 'tank man' photographer

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Photographer behind 'Tank Man' image will attend Victoria Park vigil in show of remembrance

Photographer behind 'Tank Man' image will attend Victoria Park vigil in show of remembrance