World: Friday marks the 32nd anniversary of the Chinese government’s barbaric takedown on pro democracy protests in and around central Beijing in the early hours of June 4, 1989.
Pro-democracy activist Chow Hang Tung was arrested by Hong Kong police today morning. Ms Chow is vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance which organises annual vigils for victims of Beijing’s deadly crackdown on democracy protesters, was arrested for promoting unauthorized assembly.
This arrest surfaced as the country had banned the vigil for the second year citing the outbreak.
Police shut down Victoria Park, where citizens usually gather each year to mark the anniversary. Thousands of officers have been placed on standby to stop any attempt to hold the event.
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Hong Kong and Macau are the only places in Chinese territory where people can commemorate the deadly 1989 crackdown. Despite instructions to call off the vigil for the second year Ms Chow continued to call on residents to commemorate the anniversary in their own ways.
Speaking to a news reporter before her arrest, the human rights activist said,” I am prepared to be arrested. This is how Hong Kong is now. If you fight for democracy under an authoritarian regime, being arrested is unavoidable. Let it come. I am willing to pay the price for fighting for democracy.”
Police later arrested some two dozen democracy figures who attended that rally, some of whom have been given prison sentences, including other members of the Hong Kong Alliance.
Huge crowds usually gather in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park each year to mark the anniversary of Chinese troops crushing peaceful democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989. But last year, Hong Kong banned the vigil for the first time in 30 years citing virus spread.
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