May 35th (aka June 4th)
33 years ago, something happened in Beijing. No one can talk about it.
Since then, the incident is heavily censored in China. No discussion. No mention. It was treated as if nothing ever happened that year.
At the same time, Hong Kong was still under British governance, the people can do whatever they wish to remember the movement. A candlelight vigil was held on the anniversary every year at Victoria Park, even after 1997 when the colony was handed back to China.
For the next twenty-some years, that was a great indication that “One country, two systems” was still intact. Over the years, there were ups and downs. There might only be a few thousand people some years but drew a full house when the tension between Hong Kong and China tightened. Some would complain that the vigil had become routine, and we were just going through the motions. Nonetheless, it was still a sign that said “One country, two systems” is still alive and well.
2019 marked the 30th anniversary, when things were heating up in the city, many showed up at the vigil still with the hope that things would be turned for the better in Hong Kong’s favor. That was the last time a candlelight vigil was opened for the public. For the next two years due to the pandemic, the police didn’t issue permits for such events. Those who still went on their own either got turned away by the police or got ticketed for violation of group gathering. A few days afterward, the police made some arrests, many of them were leaders in some Facebook groups. They were charged with sedition and were sentenced to 8 months or more jail terms.
Since the National Security Law came into effect on June 30th, 2020, June 4 exhibition was shut down, items were confiscated and the staff was arrested. Then books related have been pulled from shelves, also monuments and art pieces were removed from all universities and colleges. They tried to eliminate everything about June 4th.
Since most post-democratic organizations are dissolved, no one was trying to run another candlelight vigil this year. At first, they announced that all soccer fields in Victoria Park were fully booked for June 4th all day. Then I guess they realized that people can just come to watch a game and do the vigil at the same time. It won’t look good on them, so they just went ahead and shut down the whole park for 24 hours. Just to make sure no one is allowed in the park.
I don’t know who came up with the brilliant idea, but when a picture of an empty Victoria Park was sent out to the world, people can compare it with the old photos. What kind of conclusion would they come up with? What kind of message do we want the world to get? Hong Kong is still the same?
While they are finishing their “reform”, some people suggested we use some expert PR service to help put a good word out for Hong Kong. Why waste money on PR, you got a perfect chance to do it for free. If a June 4 candlelight vigil was still running as usual, and images were going around for the whole world to see. Wouldn’t that be the best promotion money can buy?
Instead, we now see images of heavy police guarding an empty park. Several policemen tried to tackle one single man who try to bow to an empty park. Question and search for someone who was holding a plaster candle walking around the area. Tens of police vehicles surrounded the park area for miles. These images go far and wide and no PR service and save your face.
Why keep emphasizing the over 5,000 years of history when one can’t honestly talk about an event that happened a mere thirty years ago?
