First 'Cheonanmun Protest' Memorial Event in Hong Kong Since Security Law Implementation

Pillar of Figures [Image Source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Since the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (Hong Kong Security Law) in June last year, a memorial event for the Tiananmen democracy protests was held in Hong Kong for the first time.

According to local media on the 3rd, an annual event to clean the "Pillar of Shame" was held at the University of Hong Kong the day before. The Pillar of Shame is a sculpture commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen democracy protests, erected at the University of Hong Kong in 1997.

The event was organized by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which has hosted the annual Tiananmen protest memorial gatherings. However, since Chairman Lee Cheuk-yan of the alliance was recently sentenced to prison in connection with the 2019 anti-government protests, Vice Chairman Albert Ho led the event.

Albert Ho, who also served as chairman of the Democratic Party, Hong Kong's main opposition party, stated, "The sculpture cleaning event holds important symbolic meaning," adding, "It shows whether Hong Kong is still alive or already dead."

The event took place two days after the University of Hong Kong declared its severance of ties with the student union. On the 30th of last month, the university announced it would cut relations with the student union, citing concerns that the union had become politicized and might violate the Hong Kong Security Law.

Local media reported, "The future of the Pillar of Shame, erected by the University of Hong Kong student union, on campus has become uncertain," and added, "This cleaning event was conducted under strict security."

Meanwhile, the annual Tiananmen protest memorial gathering held by the alliance every June 4th at Victoria Park is expected to be banned again this year. The Hong Kong government prohibited the memorial gathering for the first time in 31 years last year, citing COVID-19. However, thousands of citizens held a memorial gathering at Victoria Park on the day.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.