New Delhi: Scores of people have been reportedly detained by the Chinese police in Hong Kong for supporting democracy on the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre Sunday.
According to the latest inputs by Reuters, at least four people have been arrested for “seditious intent”. The Reuters report also maintains that, while there have been 6,000 policemen deployed at the site where for years residents of Hong Kong have been uniting to commemorate, there was also ambiguity over what exactly accounts for arrests or detention.
“Senior officials have warned people to abide by the law, but have refused to clarify if such commemoration activities are illegal under a national security law China imposed on Hong Kong in 2020 after mass pro-democracy protests,” the report added.
Meanwhile, in Taiwan, another country with which China has bitter ties over territorial disputes, the Tiananmen Square massacre was commemorated.
Jojje Olsson, a resident in Asia and reporting for Swedish media, shared pictures on Twitter and said since this event is now effectively banned in Hong Kong, the memorial in Taipei was likely the biggest in the world of its kind.
Some photos from tonight’s memorial event here in Taipei for the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Since this event is now effectively banned in Hong Kong, the memorial in Taipei is likely the biggest in the world of its kind.
The event was hold on the upper part of the Freedom… pic.twitter.com/0wBMIxozsv
— Jojje Olsson (@jojjeols) June 4, 2023
In the 1980s, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) initiated steps like privatisation to open up the economy leading to inflation and corruption in the government, which did not go down well with the people. In spring 1989, the protests grew, with demands for greater political freedom as well as a free press and freedom of speech. Groups of pro-democracy activists, especially young scholars, united to protest against the Chinese government.
On 4 June 1989, the Chinese government sent tanks and the Chinese Army to take control over parts of Beijing and catch protesters fighting for political freedom.
Every June 4 for three decades, Victoria Park in Hong Kong was where people gathered to openly grieve and express hopes for a freer China. Currently, Tiananmen Square is a famous tourist spot in China, but its history is seldom discussed openly in China.
Meanwhile, visuals from the site on social media platforms also confirm the heightened surveillance in the city.
Holmes Chan, who reports on Hong Kong for Agence France Presse (the Press Agency of France), tweeted a video showing how the police escorted a young man for carrying a copy of May-35 — a play written by Candace Chong on the Tiananmen Massacre.
A young man holding a copy of "May 35", the book version of Candace Chong's Tiananmen play, was taken for a search, and minutes later taken away on a police van.
He gave a thumbs up gesture as he was led away by officers. pic.twitter.com/v0zhrpyyfN
— Holmes Chan (@holmeschan_) June 4, 2023
A 67-year-old Alexandra Wong, also known as Grandma Wong, was also escorted by the police as she carried flowers, the video showed.
Since China is not a democracy (Economist Democracy Index rank 148/167), discussions on the Tiananmen massacre have been discouraged, making it commemorable only in select territories either controlled by China or not feared by it.
In 2021, the Pillar Of Shame, a Danish Artist’s sculpture, which commemorated the Tiananmen Square anniversary, was taken down from the University of Hong Kong. In May 2023, it was seized by the police.
This year, in Taipei, a refurbished, painted version of “pillar of shame” was erected, Olson’s tweets confirmed. He also pointed to a picture of a barren Tiananmen Square.
ThePrint could not independently verify any of these tweets and claims.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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