Councillors opposing the statue, which commemorates the victims of the June 4 massacre, cited consultants' views that it was of low artistic value.

And Ip Kwok-chung, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong, said the council should not agree to display objects which were controversial.

Non-affiliated Annie Wu Suk-ching, appointed to the council on July 1 last year, said the June 4 crackdown was not a matter for Hong Kong.

'This incident happened in Beijing and we don't need to focus so much on events happening in Beijing as we are under 'one country, two systems',' she said.

Acting deputy director of the Urban Services Department Tony Ma Kai-loong pointed out that a footnote introducing the statue said: 'Any place that accepts the statue consents that it is a city of injustice.' But Democrat Lai Hok-lim said public libraries had books which were anti-Chinese or anti-communist.

Statues should not be banned because of an introductory footnote, he said.

Colleague Chan Kwok-leung accused the administration of political censorship.

'A country as big as China cannot accommodate Wang Dan, Wei Jingsheng, or a little bit of dissent. Now Urbco, which manages so many public areas, doesn't have the capacity to hold the Pillar of Shame.

'When Mr Ma asked councillors to take note of the footnote it showed that considerations have been based on political factors,' Mr Chan said.

Ada Wong Ying-kay of the Liberal Party, who called for criteria for the display of public art to be determined before deciding on permanent display, abstained.

Mok Ying-fan, from the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood, which supported the display, left before the vote was held.

Eighteen members voted for the motion to approve the display at public areas managed by the council, 19 objected and four abstained.

The Federation of Students protested outside the meeting and said it had collected 2,222 signatures in favour of the public display of the statue.