bc magazine

Police Seize ‘Pillar of Shame’

The Hong Kong national security police have seized a sculpture created to commemorate the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in connection with a subversion investigation. The sculpture, known as the “Pillar of Shame,” was confiscated from the Kadoorie Centre in Yuen Long, an agricultural research facility run by the University of Hong Kong (HKU), on Friday.

The seizure of the “Pillar of Shame” has sparked outrage from human rights groups and the artistic community. The sculpture was created by Danish artist Jens Galschiot and erected on the campus of HKU in 1997 as a symbol of democracy and human rights, and as a tribute to the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. The sculpture has since become an important landmark for activists and pro-democracy advocates in Hong Kong.

According to a source familiar with the case, the police used a subversion investigation as a pretext to seize the sculpture, raising serious questions about the state of artistic freedom in Hong Kong. The seizure of the sculpture has been condemned by NGO DEI (我地), which has called for the immediate return of the “Pillar of Shame” and for the Hong Kong authorities to respect artistic freedom….

Continue reading the full article at HK01

image: vawongsir

Tiananmen Square Massacre Online Museum Blocked in Hong Kong

The physical version of the June 4th Museum was shut down by HK Police a couple of months ago for allegedly operating without the correct licences.

To preserve the history of Beijing’s bloody crackdown on peaceful Tiananmen Square protesters in 1989, a group of people created an online museum at 8964museum.com.

Today the website is inaccessible via several of Hong Kong’s telecom providers, the first obvious example of China’s ‘great firewall’ making it’s appearance locally.

8964museum.com is an archive and historical record of the key events and figures in the peaceful student-led demonstrations that spread across China in 1989. Protests that ended in a hail of People Liberation Army bullets – leaving thousands, of civilians dead and injured.

With all references to the Tiananmen Square massacre censored in mainland China. The annual Victoria Park candlelight vigils to remember those killed in the crackdown were seen by many HongKongers as a symbol of the city’s promised freedoms and autonomy under the one country two systems.

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Security Bureau Threatens HongKongers…

A spokesman for the Security Bureau made a [this] statement today (May 29) that the Police have prohibited and objected to a public meeting and procession [32 Anniversary Tiananmen Square Vigil to remember those murdered by Chinese troops ] to be held on May 30 and a public meeting to be held on June 4.

The Appeal Board on Public Meetings and Processions has, after hearing, confirmed the Police’s decisions. The relevant meetings and procession are unauthorised assemblies. No one should take part in it, or advertise or publicise it, or else he or she may violate the law.

According to section 17A of the Public Order Ordinance (Cap. 245), taking part in an unauthorised assembly is liable to a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment; advertising or publicising an unauthorised assembly is liable to a maximum penalty of 12 months’ imprisonment. In addition, taking part in the events may be in breach of relevant offences under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation (Cap. 599G) (i.e. Prohibition on Group Gathering).

The court’s recent judgments in two cases relating to unauthorised assemblies (the public meetings and processions on August 18 and August 31, 2019) indicate that taking part in an unauthorised assembly, whether or not it involves violence, is in violation of the law. The persons concerned were eventually sentenced to imprisonment of varying terms.

The Security Bureau reminds the public that they should not take part, advertise or publicise any unauthorised assembly. If anyone attempts to challenge the law, including the Prohibition on Group Gathering, Public Order Ordinance, Hong Kong National Security Law, etc., the Police will deal with it seriously in accordance with the law.

26th Anniversary of June 4

http://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2014/Tiananmen-25th-Anniversary/41425488_4FHBHt#!i=3292634297&k=6w7tNML

The first ‘June 4’ since the ‘birth’ of the Umbrella Movement sees a wide range of commemorative vigils being held across Hong Kong. Their is increased awareness among HongKongers of the need for accountable government locally. That the Chief Executive CY Leung is more interested in pleasing those in Beijing than the people he was ‘elected’ to represent.

HongKongers still believe that they should be advocating the development of democracy on the Chinese mainland, the mantra of the June 4 vigil in Victoria Park. What has changed since last year is the awareness of the suffocation of Hong Kong by Beijing, the lack of accountability of government officials, rampant nepotism, the death of one country-two system and the stealthy transformation of Hong Kong from the city they love and are proud to call home to ‘just another Chinese city’.

Candlelight Vigil for the 26th Anniversary of June 4
Organized by: The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China
Venue: Hong Kong Victoria Park Football Field, Causeway Bay – 8pm
More: Started in 1990, the largest and longest-running commemorative event for June 4, over 180,000 attended last year.

Hong Kongers’ June Fourth Rally
Organized by: Civic Passion
Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Center, Tsim Sha Tsui – 8pm
More: Started in 2013, over 3,000 attended last year

June Fourth Commemoration
Organized by: Hong Kong University Students’ Union
Venue: Sun Yat-sen Place, University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun – 7:30 pm.

Memorials for the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989
Organised by: Proletariat Political Institute, Civic Passion and other localism groups will be Venues:

Hong Kong Island
– Siu Sai Wan Estate Bus Terminus (19:00-21:00)
– Shau Kei Wan MTR Station Exit A3 (19:00-21:00)
– Hing Fat Street Entrance, Victoria Park, Causeway Bay (16:00-18:00)

Kowloon East
– Kai Tin Shopping Centre, Lam Tin (Outside) (16:30-18:30)
– Yue Man Square Park, Kwun Tong (17:00-19:00)
– Ngau Tau Kok Road Flyover Rest Garden, Kowloon Bay (19:00-21:00)

Kowloon West
– Fat Tseung Street MTR Exit, Un Chau Shopping Centre, Sham Shui Po (19:30-21:30)
– Prince Edward MTR Station Exit B1 (20:00-21:30)
– Clock Tower, Tsim Sha Tsui (19:00-22:30)
– Mei Foo MTR Station Exit A (19:00-21:00)

New Territories East
– Shatin MTR Station Exit A (17:30-19:30)
– Tai Wai MTR Station Exit A (18:00-20:00)
– City One MTR Station Exit D (19:00-21:00)
– University Railway Station Bus Terminus (19:00-21:00)
– Tai Po Market MTR Station Exit A (19:00-21:00)
– Sheung Shui MTR Station Exit C (19:00-21:00)

New Territories West
– Tai Ho Road, Citywalk, Tsuen Wan (Open Ground) (18:30-20:00)
– Kwai Chung Shopping Centre, Kwai Fon (Outside) (19:00-21:00)