June 4 vigil turnout beats expectations as Hong Kong organisers call for mass showing at next year's 30th anniversary of Tiananmen Square crackdown
Peaceful commemoration in Victoria Park ends with march to Beijing's liaison office in city, while central government slams US call for China to disclose details of the crackdown, accusing it of issuing statements of ‘gratuitous criticism’ every year
Tens of thousands of people gathered at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park on Monday for the annual candlelight vigil to mourn those killed in Beijing’s bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters 29 years ago, defying expectations that the turnout – declining in recent years – would further dwindle.
Organisers said 115,000 people showed up for this year’s Tiananmen vigil – 5,000 more than last year – though police put the figure at 17,000, down from last year’s 18,000.
From students to families to senior citizens, those in attendance perched on small stools, sat on plastic sheets or lingered by the sides of the park’s six football pitches, facing a makeshift stage and screens.
As rain gave way to a cool breeze, organisers led them in rousing chants of “End to the one-party dictatorship!” and “Building a democratic China!”
Hong Kong is the only place on Chinese soil where such large-scale commemoration of the bloody incident – the exact death toll of which remains unknown – takes place.