Hong Kong leader John Lee has warned of people potentially “hijacking” the anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown to disturb public peace.
Tuesday marked 35 years since hundreds, if not thousands, were killed when China’s People’s Liberation Army cracked down on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing.
When asked during his weekly press briefing on Tuesday morning whether Hongkongers were permitted to publicly commemorate the crackdown, Lee gave no direct answer. “All activities by any persons must be conducted according to the law,” he said.
National security police have invoked Hong Kong’s new security law to arrest eight people since last Tuesday on suspicion of posting “seditious” messages “utilising an upcoming sensitive date.” Jailed activist Chow Hang-tung, who used to organise Hong Kong’s annual candlelight vigils to remember the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary, was among those are arrested.
On Monday evening, artist Sanmu Chan was briefly detained and taken away by police after apparently drawing the Chinese characters for “8964” – referring to the date of the crackdown – in the air as he stood alone on a street in Causeway Bay. Chan was detained last year on the eve of the Tiananmen crackdown anniversary at approximately the same location, but he was not charged.
Police told HKFP on Monday night that Chan was taken to a police station for “causing a disturbance,” but he was released unconditionally after an investigation.
A heavy police deployment was already visible on the streets of Causeway Bay and around Victoria Park – where the city’s annual vigils used to be held – on Monday evening. Responding to an HKFP enquiry about the numbers of officers on patrol, police said they would not reveal details of their operations.
See also: How the official stance on the Tiananmen crackdown shifted among Hong Kong leaders
Asked by a reporter on Tuesday if the words “June 4th” were now forbidden, Lee said public events on “specific dates” must not contravene the law, including the Beijing-imposed national security law and the domestic Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, enacted in March. References to 1989, June 4, and the Tiananmen crackdown, along with symbols such as candles and tanks, are heavily censored on the internet in mainland China.
“There are still forces in Hong Kong trying to damage stability and national security, we should be careful of people who hijack and make use of the issue to cause trouble,” Lee said in Cantonese.
He also made reference to the pro-democracy protests and unrest in 2019, describing the months-long demonstrations as an “attempted colour revolution.” He said residents should not forget the pain caused by those events even if the wounds had healed.
“Different people may use different excuses to hide their intentions,” Lee told reporters.
“It’s important we all bear that in mind to be on guard all the time against attempts to cause trouble to Hong Kong, particularly disturbing public peace,” he added.
Lee said law enforcement officers would ensure public events were conducted according to the law, without saying whether public acts of commemoration were allowed.
Tiananmen crackdown
The British Embassy in Beijing on Tuesday posted an animated video on social media showing the front page of China’s state-run People’s Daily on June 4, 1989, before it gradually turned blank. Sheets of blank paper became a symbol of censorship during widespread protests against Covid-19 curbs in China in November 2022.
“35 years ago, peaceful protests in and around Tiananmen Square ended in tragedy. Some people are trying to erase those events from history and memory. Today we remember,” the embassy said on X, formerly Twitter.
Hong Kong used to be one of the few places on Chinese soil where annual vigils were held to commemorate the people who died in the 1989 crackdown. But police banned the gathering at Victoria Park for the first time in 2020 citing Covid-19 restrictions, and imposed the same ban the following year.
No official commemoration has been held since the vigil organiser, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, disbanded in September 2021.
Currently occupying Victoria Park – historically the site of Hong Kong’s vigils – is a five-day patriotic carnival organised by 28 pro-Beijing groups.
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