Editorial | Greater clarity needed on how to legally mark the June 4 anniversary
- The day has deep meaning for many in Hong Kong. It should be possible for people to mark it peacefully, safe in the knowledge that they are acting within the law
The anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown, 34 years ago on Sunday, carries special significance for many Hong Kong people. For almost 30 years, it was marked by a mass candlelit vigil attended by tens of thousands in Victoria Park. The event remembered those who died when the student-led protests were crushed on June 4, 1989.
The vigil, peaceful and moving, was seen around the world as compelling evidence of Hong Kong’s enduring freedoms after the city’s return to China in 1997. But it has not been held for four years.
Public health reasons were cited for bans in 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic. Last year, no one attempted to organise the event, amid fears it may breach the national security law or cross other legal red lines.
This year, no application has been made. The event was run by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, which disbanded in 2021. Three of its leaders are awaiting trial, accused of inciting subversion.
One of the objectives of the alliance was ending one-party rule in China. That, since the passing of the security law in 2020, carries legal risks and also conflicts with China’s constitution. Certain slogans would also be problematic.