National security law: calls for end to China’s ‘one-party rule’ illegal? Not a ‘yes or no’ question, Carrie Lam says

Pro-establishment figures have argued the refrain at the city’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil constitutes an act of subversion in and of itself

City leader also declines to address why coronavirus concerns were cited in banning Victoria Square remembrance once more while concerts, art fairs unaffected

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Pro-establishment figures have argued that some chants heard at Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil violate the national security law. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 2:24pm, 1 Jun 2021Updated: 11:17pm, 1 Jun 2021

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Tuesday refused to be drawn into taking a definitive stance on whether it was unlawful for Hong Kong residents to call for an end to China’s “one-party rule”, a regular refrain at the city’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil, now banned for a second straight year.

Lam said the legality of slogans depended on the specific circumstances as well as evidence gathered by law enforcement, adding that any future actions the city might take involving remembrances of the bloody 1989 crackdown would follow the national security law and existing constitutional documents.

Police last Thursday cited coronavirus restrictions for the second year in a row in again barring the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China from holding its annual June 4 candlelight vigil in Victoria Park.

Carrie Lam on Tuesday declined to address why the city’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil has been blocked on public health grounds while other gatherings have not. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Lam on Tuesday declined to comment on why the vigil had been banned when other large gatherings such as concerts and art fairs were allowed.

“Since the protest and the assemblies have been objected to by the police, and the applicant has already appealed and the appeal has been dismissed, what we have to do is to act in accordance with the law. I do not have a second opinion on this matter,” she said ahead of her weekly Executive Council meeting.

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