Organisers of Hong Kong carnival in Victoria Park ‘not worried’ about overlap with June 4 anniversary

The organisers of a five-day food carnival at the start of next month have said they are “not worried” about possible disruptions from residents wanting to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown at the site of the event, where previous June 4 vigils were held in the past.

William Shie Tak-chung, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Fujian Associations that is among the pro-Beijing community groups jointly hosting “Hometown Market”, said the organisers hoped to hold the event yearly, but did not specify whether future editions would aim for the same venue and dates.

The carnival will take place for a second consecutive year at Victoria Park from June 1 to 5 and will feature cultural performances alongside numerous booths selling regional food products and dishes.

Every year on June 4, the park hosted a gathering commemorating the victims of the crackdown, but the event has been banned by authorities in recent years. The last official one held by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was in 2019.

“Our event last year received the support of most residents, so there will not be any issues,” Shie said, adding that he had not witnessed cases of people disrupting last year’s carnival.

Shie denied that organisers had specifically chosen for the carnival to coincide with the June 4 anniversary, saying that dates of the carnival had been decided based on available slots given to them by authorities who oversaw the park.

The announcement of the carnival follows Hong Kong’s first arrests under its domestic national security law. Seven people were detained for allegedly publishing seditious materials linked to the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown with the aim of inciting hatred of the local and central governments.