#FirstHand #June3
Hongkongers Insist on Remembering #June4th

In the past, #CandleVigil was held annually in Hong Kong on June 4 to commemorate the victims of 1989 #TiananmenMassacre in Beijing.

Starting from 11pm on June 3, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (#LCSD) of the Hong Kong SAR Government ordered to close the football pitches and the lawn area in #VictoriaPark, to "curb unauthorised assembly".

Over 100 police officers patrolled at all the entrances of the Park since 10:30pm. Some areas in the park were blocked by crowd control barriers.

Mr Sung, an artist who wore a black face mask, arrived at Victoria Park at 9:30pm. He sat on the ground with an umbrella and two e-candles, reading "The History of Modern Mime". The police stopped and searched him and asked him his purpose at the venue. He only answered "no comment".

Despite the heavy rain , Mr Sung didn't back down. He held up his umbrella and continued to sit-in until 11pm, the deadline given by the LCSD.

#Remembrance #PoliceState

"Why? This is my duty": #June4 Banner appears in Hong Kong despite suppression

June 4, 2022 marks 33 years since the 1989 #TiananmenSquareMassacre in Beijing. At the Chinese University of Hong Kong (#CUHK), a banner that read "Why? [Because] This is my duty" was displayed on a fence outside of the dormitory of New Asia College. The image and quote on the banner was taken from a BBC documentary of the Tiananmen Massacre.

The scene from the documentary, in which the student gave the quoted answer in English, can be viewed on BBC News Chinese: https://youtu.be/ExqqdUXXdgA?t=69

By 1am, however, the banner was removed after the campus security took a photo.

In addition, it was reported that a flashmob activity to "look for the Statue of the Goddess of Democracy" was briefly held at midnight on CUHK campus. Handbills that read "Missing: Goddess of Democracy" were posted around the New Asia College and the United College, but by 6am, all of them were removed by campus security.

The Statue of the Goddess of Democracy had previously been on display at CUHK for 11 years, commemorating the 1989 pro-democracy movement in China and the victims of the brutal crackdown by the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) government. It was removed by the university authority without notice on Christmas eve of 2021.

Source: InMedia #June4
https://bit.ly/3zjdDmo

#Remembrance #NeverForget #Duty

#Beijing Attempts to Silence Consulates' June 4th Commemoration in Hong Kong

On the eve of June 4th, Beijing's foreign affairs office in Hong Kong sent warning to different consulates, asking them not to "make any gesture" on June 4, 2022.

June 4th 2022 marks the 33 year-mark of the Tiananmen Massacre in Beijing, where the Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) government brutally cracked down pro-democracy civilians in 1989.

Commemorative events such as candlelight vigil had been annually held in Hong Kong until the enforcement of the #NationalSecurityLaw in 2020.

Beijing's office claimed that the commemorative activities in Hong Kong were organized by "a small fraction of anti-China people with hostility towards the Chinese government". According to CCP, there is "no need to remember June 4th".

On June 4, 2022, the US consulate and the Australia consulate in Hong Kong posted the Pillar of Shame and a candlelight image on their social media platform respectively, in commemoration of the victims of the 1989 June 4th Tiananmen Massacre. The Polish Consulate-general fearured candles in their social media post. Both the US consulate-general and the #EuropeanUnion office in Hong Kong lit candles on their windows.

Source: Lady Liberty; Mingpao; InMedia #June4

https://bit.ly/3teumDA

https://www.facebook.com/LadyLibertyHongKong/photos/a.104843870902055/791906062195829/

https://bit.ly/3xlvEiA

#Remembrance #Censorship #PoliticalSuppression

#FirstHand #Jun4
#Hongkongers, #Tibetans and #EastTurkestans Join Assembly Outside of ChineseEmbassy in #London

On June 4, 2022, more than 200 people gather outside the Chinese Embassy in London for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the victims of the #TiananmenMassacre back in 1989.

#IsaacCheng Ka-Long, the former Vice-Chairperson of #Demosisto, and #YauManChun, a former Shatin District Councillor, were the moderated the event. Speakers representing the #UK, #HongKong, #Tibet and #EastTurkestan took turn to speak. The pre-recorded speech of #ZhangXianLing, one of the "#TiananmenMothers", were played after a minute of silence was observed.

Zhang Xianling's son was massacred at Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4 1989. Her son was 19 years old when killed. Zhang sent blessing to Hongkongers. Despite the suppression of demonstration and commemorative events in Hong Kong, Zhang encouraged the people of Hong Kong not to give up.

#BenedictRoger, the founder of #HongKongWatch, brought a yellow umbrella to the event, saying the umbrella were only used in rainy weather but it also symbolised the sovereignty and the power of the people who suffer suppression. He hopes people would see the UK as a shelter.

#LeeWingTat, a former legislator from Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp, also gave a speech, urging people not to give up. Under the National Security Law (#NSL) and other regulations, he foresaw the arrival of more and more Hong Kong immigrants to the UK. He encouraged those who arrived early to help others to settle and hoped to spread the situation in Hong Kong to the world.

#TserinPassang, a British-born Tibetan talked about how his parents went in exiled due to the high-pressure suppression in Tibel such as re-education camps and forced labour. He said that over hundred Tibetans conducted self-immolation to express their discontent, but the suppression by Chinese Communist Party (#CCP) regime does not cease. He expressed his will to go to his homeland hopefully in a not so distant future.

After that, a representative from East Turkestan spoke on the genocid and the need to raise people's awareness on all humanitarian crises.

Although it is no longer possible to continue the tradition of holding an annual candlelight vigil at Hong Kong's #VictoriaPark, the commemorarive event is carried out overseas and is joined by not just Hongkongers.

The assembly in London ended with three songs: "The Flower of Freedom" (自由花), "The Internationale", and "Glory to Hong Kong". The participants chanted pro-democracy slogans to voice their demands outside the Chinese Embassy.

#Remembrance #Solidarity #Overseas #Resistance #Diaspora #Hongkongers

Three Years Since First Police Suppression of Pro-Democracy #AntiELAB Protests in Hong Kong

On June 12, 2019, tens of thousands of pro-democracy Hongkongers gathered outside of the Legislative Council building and the Government Headquarters in Admiralty -- after over 1 million citizens took to the streets three days ago to protest the proposed bill that would allow extradition to China. Their message seemed all but ignored by the Hong Kong authorities.

The controversial Extradition Law Amendment Bill (ELAB) was slated to go through second and possibly third reading that day in the city's legislature, in which the pro-Beijing camp secured a firm majority by disqualifying a number of pro-democracy lawmakers. Without representation in the chamber, pro-democracy citizens occupied Tamar Park and spilled over to Harcourt Road and nearby areas, hoping a clear display of their disapproval would stop the passing of the extradition bill.

However, the peaceful protests were met with tear gas and violent police suppression. The authorities claimed that the unarmed citizens, expressing their pro-democracy demands, were rioting in the area.

In addition to arrests, the aggressive police response many civilians were injured and terrified. At one point, the police nearly caused a stampede as they teargassed both ends of the street outside Citic Tower, trapping a panicked crowd of hundreds as they sought refuge through the narrow doors of the commercial building.

The police aggression on that day had alarmed local and international observers, and drew widespread condemnation. On the other hand, the shared horrors that day united Hongkongers as they stood together against the CCP-backed regime, which finally showed its true, oppressive colors.

The day was only the beginning of the year-long #AntiELAB protests in Hong Kong.

Source:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=8297021216990419&id=648757011816916

#Remembrance #3yearsago #NeverForget #HongkongProtests #Solidarity

Three Years Since the Death of "Yellow Raincoat Man": Police Warn Mourning Citizens of "Littering" as they Offered Flowers

Today marks the third year since the death of Marco Leung Ling-kit, the "Yellow Raincoat Man", who fell to his death wearing a yellow raincoat that said "Carrie Lam killed Hong Kong, Cops were cold blooded." His death came a week after a 1-million-strong march did not #CarrieLam to withdraw the extradition bill, and another massive protest on the day of the vote was met by violent police crackdown.

Outside Pacific Place in Admiralty, the scene of Leung's death, citizens have erected a roadside memorial this afternoon. It was soon surrounded by dozens of white flowers, origami flowers, and other memorial art from citizens who came to pay tribute to the fallen man.

Police came and cleared away the memorial, and accused a man who laid down flowers for "littering", giving verbal warnings and taking down their identities. "I have the right to mourn," the man said, criticizing the police's actions, "I'm only exercising my due rights."

Ms. S and Mr. J took half a day off work today to attend the memorial and lay down flowers. J said that he had never forgotten Leung, and came to "tell everyone: hold on and continue in our conviction." He had been concerned that simply mourning in public might put him at risk of being arrested, but decided that he couldn't worry too much.

"I have to do what I intended to do," he said, "or else some memories will slowly fade away. I don't want to be ashamed of myself."

source: In-Media HK
photos: first-hand
https://bit.ly/3MNehLS

#Jun15 #Remembrance #YellowRaincoatMan #LeungLingKit #NeverForget #Martyr

13-year-old Bowen is wearing a yellow raincoat, stood silently before the memorial.

As night falls, citizens continue to arrive at the memorial to mourn "Yellow Raincoat Man" Leung Ling-kit outside Pacific Place. 13-year-old Bowen is among them; he came wearing a yellow raincoat, and stood silently before the memorial.

Bowen said that he was only 10 when the incident happened, but what he saw on live TV was etched into his mind. Even though his family objected, he came to the memorial anyway.

Other citizens lit candles at the memorial. and paid silent tribute to Leung as they stood in the heavy rain under umbrellas.

source: ReNews #Jun15

https://www.facebook.com/renewshk/posts/132708449403734

#Remembrance #YellowRaincoatMan #LeungLingKit #NeverForget #Martyr

Flowers Offered to #LeungKinFai on anniversary of Knife Attack; Offering May Violate National Security Law, Police Warned

On July 1 one year ago, local man Leung Kin-fai stabbed a police officer with a knife outside in Causeway Bay, then took his own life. The attack, which took place on the first anniversary of the #NationalSecurityLaw, was labeled as a "lone wolf-style localist terror attack" by Secretary of Security Chris Tang, who added that the authorities will prosecute any actions that incite and glorify violence.

On July 1 this year, police deployed nearly 20 officers in armored vests to guard the scene of the attack. After finding a small bouquet of white flowers on the ground, the nearby officers quickly went on high alert, cordoning off the area and detaining a nearby young man in black. The man was searched and released after about 10 minutes, and the bouquet was taken away.

The young man told reporters that the flowers were not his; he told the officers that they could verify it by CCTV. One of the officers told him that he could offer flowers on normal days, but that day was a "special day", and the National Security police will follow up on the person making the flower offering.

The act of offering flowers may be a violation of the national security law, the officer said.

Nevertheless, other citizens also laid flowers at the scene despite increased police presence. Their flowers were also quickly cleared away by plainclothes officers.

source: In-Media HK #FirstHand #Jul01

https://bit.ly/3ntDDEk

see also: Mourning activities and police response the day after the attack

Police Cordon Off Sogo Department Store to Prevent Hongkongers from Mourning Fellow Citizen
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/30367

Defiant #Hongkongers continue to show respect despite tightened police grip
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/30396

Police disrespectfully take away flowers for Deceased Civilian from the altar
https://publielectoral.lat/guardiansofhongkong/30395

#LeungKinFai #Remembrance #PoliceState

#Remembrance #QueenElizabethII
I'm going now

Thank you for giving us
a Hong Kong that
was so beautiful

Don't mention it.
Live well, Ah Kong.

Webcomic artist #HongKongWorker posted this comic as a tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II.  She is affectionately called the "Boss Lady" (事頭婆) by Hongkongers who witnessed the city's rise to prosperity and international renown during her reign.

Her passing is mourned by many Hongkongers in the city as well as abroad.

source: Hong Kong Worker
https://www.facebook.com/HongKongworker/photos/a.101808121421393/594713965464137/

#RIP