The bloody crackdown on student protests in 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square is very sensitive to the communist rulers. For decades, Hong Kong was the only Chinese city to commemorate the massacre that killed more than 1,000 students every year. Since the introduction of the National Security Law in 2020, this has been prohibited and punishable by law.
On June 4, 1989, Chinese troops and tanks bloodily ended peaceful protests in Tiananmen Square, ending a week-long wave of demonstrations for political change. For decades, before the 2020 ban, the annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park attracted tens of thousands of people.
Victoria Park
Victoria Park has been hermetically sealed for three years with metal barriers to prevent vigils or other forms of commemoration, yesterday a ‘home city fair’ was organized by pro-Beijing groups to promote mainland products. The fair lasts until tomorrow.
There was a heavy police presence in and around Victoria Park yesterday. Officers stopped and searched people walking through the busy shopping area, while an armored vehicle was parked in front of a shopping mall.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said “the courage of the victims of Tiananmen Square will not be forgotten”. He added that the United States “will continue to defend the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people in China and around the world.”