My Take | The June 4 anniversary remains significant to many in Hong Kong
- The anniversary’s importance cannot be underestimated, but with uncertainty about where red lines are drawn, most people err on the side of caution
Hong Kong’s famous candlelight vigil to mark the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown last took place four years ago on Sunday. Tens of thousands gathered in Victoria Park, creating the familiar sea of twinkling candles. They chanted: “We will never forget.”
The event had been held annually since 1990. But soon after the vigil in 2019, months of civil unrest began. Then, the pandemic descended. Beijing, responding to the anti-government protests, made transformative legal and political changes.
The new environment is evident in the circumstances surrounding Sunday’s anniversary. Victoria Park is partly closed for renovation. Remaining space has “by coincidence” been booked by pro-Beijing groups for a cultural carnival.
But no one was organising a vigil anyway. The legal risks are too high. The event had been run by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements. The alliance, which called for an end to one-party rule in China, disbanded in 2021, a year after the passing of a new national security law. Leading members are awaiting trial on subversion charges.
The political climate is not conducive to commemorative activities. Books about the Tiananmen crackdown have been removed from libraries along with others deemed to be not in the interests of Hong Kong. They have disappeared from bookshops, too.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung has warned the police will take resolute action against anyone using the anniversary to undermine national security. There will be a strong police presence in parts of the city considered high risk on Sunday, with up to 5,000 officers deployed. Security is expected to be ramped up around Victoria Park.