Activist ‘Grandma Wong’ arrested over Tiananmen march following Hong Kong police ban on June 4 events
- Alexandra Wong marched solo from start point of annual march that police banned again this year citing Covid-19 restrictions
- The 65-year-old was arrested in Wan Chai on suspicion of taking part in an unauthorised assembly, and related incitement offence
Alexandra Wong Fung-yiu was pictured on Sunday afternoon at Wan Chai’s Southorn Playground holding a placard referring to the 1989 crackdown, before setting off in the direction of Beijing’s liaison office in Sai Ying Pun with police in tow.
Hong Kong organisers of Tiananmen Square vigil lose appeal over ban
It is the second straight year that authorities have refused on public health grounds to issue a letter of no objection for the march, which was being organised by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.
The alliance had been expecting 3,000 to 5,000 people to march to the central government’s liaison office to mark the crackdown’s 32nd anniversary.
Police also outlawed, for the same reason, the alliance’s June 4 candlelight vigil in Victoria Park, which organisers said drew crowds of 180,000 in 2019, although police put the figure at 37,000.
Wong was seen in a media report at about 2pm on Sunday sitting outside Southorn Playground with a placard bearing the message “32, June 4, Tiananmen’s lament” and a yellow umbrella, a symbol of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Occupy movement in 2014. The umbrella also featured the British Union flag on it. She was chanting slogans on her own outside the playground, where some people were playing basketball and others were sitting in the spectator stand.
A heavy police presence was in the vicinity at the time after authorities warned the public not to join or promote participation in outlawed assemblies.
Wong set off at about 2.40pm, with officers recording her movements on video. She was stopped five minutes later as police made inquiries.
Officers let her go after about 10 minutes, but stopped her again on Hennessy Road near police headquarters.
In protest, Wong was heard saying: “I’m only by myself, just an old lady here. Why stop me?”
Soon after, she was carried into a police vehicle by several officers.
What the Tiananmen Square crackdown on June 4, 1989 was about
A police spokesman said a 65-year-old woman had been arrested for knowingly taking part in an unauthorised assembly and attempting to incite others to participate in an unauthorised assembly.
Police said she had raised a banner and chanted slogans at the location, adding she was given a verbal warning but was arrested after refusing to cooperate.
Wong was released without charge on Monday afternoon, but she refused bail conditions.
