Hong Kong memorials for the anniversary of Tiananmen Square massacre will be absent for the third year in a row on Saturday, as COVID curbs and a crackdown on freedoms suppress public recognition of the event.
No group has applied to hold the once-annual vigil in Victoria Park, which previously attracted as many as 180,000 people holding candles and listening to speeches calling for greater democracy. The group that organized the June 4 event disbanded in September under the pressure of a national security probe.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Tuesday that any events would be subject to the national security law and pandemic curbs that limit public gatherings to four people. She declined to say whether lighting a candle at home would cross the government’s “red lines” on marking the event.
