6/4 in HK

Thousands gather for the annual candlelight vigil in protest of the Tiananmen Square massacre,
in defiance of the CCP orders // photo by Dominic Chiu

June 4th, 2020 marked the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Hong Kong has held a candlelight vigil every year on the anniversary in Victoria Park in memorial of the freedom fighters that perished that day as well as protesting the tyrannical government that perpetrated the atrocity.

This year was different.

The Chinese government stated that the vigil will not be allowed, citing a ban on gatherings larger than 8 people due to Coronavirus fears. Yeah, right. Bars, restaurants, and schools are open. People have been protesting in large numbers through it all. China almost assuredly is affected significantly more than Hong Kong due to the Coronavirus despite their phony numbers.

This was a measure against free speech. They saw this as an opportunity to quell protests of an event that the Chinese government has been trying to erase from public memory for three decades.

So police issued warnings that anyone that would hold vigils would be arrested. Because, you know, keeping people together in small cages is somehow preferable to people outdoors wearing masks. They also barricaded Victoria Park to prevent the annual vigil.

To which, the Hong Kong people said "Fuck you!" knocked down the barriers, and went ahead with the vigil anyway.

Damn, I love the people of Hong Kong.

Imagine protesting a government's massacre of protesters, in direct defiance of that same government.