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Hong Kong protesters defy Tiananmen vigil ban
HONG KONG, June 4, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Hong Kong pro-democracy
protesters defied a ban against gathering at a park to commemorate
Thursday’s anniversary of China’s deadly Tiananmen crackdown, with
tensions seething in the financial hub over a planned new security
law.
The semi-autonomous city had for three decades seen huge vigils to
remember those killed when China’s communist leaders deployed its
military into Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to crush a student-led
movement for democratic reforms.
This year’s vigil was banned, with authorities citing coronavirus
restrictions on group gatherings.
But pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, who have been waging a
long struggle against what they see as China’s tightening grip on the
city, were determined to make their voices heard.
Hundreds of people, including some prominent democracy leaders,
broke through barriers at Victoria Park where the vigil is held each
year just as night fell.
“I’ve come here for the vigil for 30 years in memory of the victims
of the June 4 crackdown, but this year it is more significant to me,”
a 74-year-old man who gave his surname as Yip told AFP inside the
park.
“Because Hong Kong is experiencing the same kind of repression from
the same regime, just like what happened in Beijing.”
Some of the people in the park wore black t-shirts with the word
“Truth” emblazoned in white. Others shouted pro-democracy slogans
including: “Stand with Hong Kong”.
Police maintained a presence near the park but did not move to
disperse the protesters.
The defiant gathering came hours after pro-Beijing lawmakers in Hong
Kong’s legislature succeeded in passing a bill criminalising insults
to China’s national anthem.
– Neighbourhood, church vigils –
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