Hong Kong June 4 vigil likely to be on hold for fourth year amid park renovations, pro-Beijing group eyes event in limited area
- Government says Victoria Park’s six soccer pitches and central lawn closed for maintenance, with completion expected only by end of June
- Charity under Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisations meanwhile confirms it has applied for sales event in remaining available space
Hong Kong’s annual candlelight vigil commemorating the June 4 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing is likely to be on hold for the fourth year in a row as part of the venue, Victoria Park, has been closed for renovations, while a pro-Beijing group has applied to host a sales event in the remaining area.
A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department told the Post on Tuesday night that the park’s six soccer pitches and central lawn – where the vigil was last officially held in 2019 – had been closed for maintenance since March, with the project set to be completed only by the end of June.
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Four pitches and half of the lawn would be still open to the public, he said, adding that a group had applied to hold a sale in that area from May 30 to June 7.
A charity under the Federation of Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organisations confirmed on Wednesday it was seeking to hold some events in that period.
Staff member Wong Chin-fong said the charity submitted its application in February and was still waiting for a government response.
Wong said the group did not intend to block other activities such as the June 4 vigil, but it preferred not to disclose further details of the sale.
As of Wednesday noon, police have not approved any June 4 gatherings or public events.
Hong Kong was the only city on Chinese soil to organise large-scale activities mourning those killed in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989. In 2020 and 2021, police banned the annual candlelight vigil, citing public health concerns amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
An estimated 20,000 people still turned up at Victoria Park in 2020, including 26 opposition leaders who were later arrested and charged.
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The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group behind the vigil since 1990, eventually disbanded in September 2021 in light of the national security law.
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Last year, authorities decided to close sections of the park a day before the vigil, after a man was arrested over online calls to attack officers. The government said the closure would help “prevent any unauthorised assemblies in the park that may affect public safety and order” and reduce chances of coronavirus transmission in crowds.
Police also carried out random searches in Causeway Bay that night, targeting people scattered around the area who were wearing black clothing or holding flowers.
