Marcha por Tiananmen em Hong Kong

Thousands mark Tiananmen crackdown

Fanny W. Y. Fung and Austin Chiu
South China Morning Post
June 01, 2009

Thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong yesterday to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown ahead of the 20th anniversary, making it a record turnout since 1992.

Yesterday's figure, estimated at 8,000 by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, rebounded from the record low of 1,000 last year. It also echoed a University of Hong Kong poll, which found people's support for the vindication of the 1989 democracy movement had reached a new high. Police said about 4,700 had gathered at the starting point in Victoria Park.

The rally was led by 20 youngsters born in 1989. Demonstrators, most dressed in black or white, marched from the park to the government headquarters in the afternoon. They chanted slogans demanding vindication of the student movement, and called for democracy and for student leaders on the mainland to be released. They also sang songs with patriotic lyrics and brandished black and white banners.

Some marchers, angered by Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's remark last month that people should view the June 4 incident objectively in light of the nation's economic progress, chanted "Tsang Yam-kuen does not represent me" along the route, despite Mr Tsang having apologised for his comment.

Alliance chairman Szeto Wah said: "More people took part in this year's march because it's the 20th anniversary of the June 4 [student movement]. I hope [people] will bring their family members to take part in the candle-light vigil. I hope the turnover will reach a new high."

The alliance submitted a petition at the government headquarters. About 25 members of the League of Social Democrats and April Fifth Action, carrying a black coffin, went on to the Foreign Ministry commissioner's office. The group, which was warned by police over illegal assembly, placed the coffin at the entrance before burning a letter.