The Pillar of Shame Lives Another Day

 

Minutes before the deadline, media were filming the sculpture

 

The Hong Kong Observatory lowered the T8 signal to T3 at 4.40pm after 23 hours of Typhoon Kompasu passing by the city, causing a lot of winds and some spurts of rain, but nothing like the heavy rains on Saturday with Typhoon Lionrock.

Despite the weather conditions, many people gathered at the University of Hong Kong's Hakim Wong Building, where the Pillar of Shame stands, wondering what the university's management would do when the deadline of 5pm struck. Would campus security begin removing the 2-tonne sculpture or dismantle it?

In the end it turns out nothing -- for now.

The deadline coincided with Typhoon Kompasu

The artist, Jens Galschiot, has hired a Hong Kong lawyer to request HKU arrange a hearing to review its controversial decision.

He had warned the university would be held responsible for any damages if it removed the sculpture, and that the Pillar of Shame actually belongs to him, and is on permanent loan to the now defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

"The lawyer and I will try to resolve the situation amicably and with satisfaction for both parties if possible," Galschiot said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Of course, I hope that my ownership of the sculpture will be respected and that I will be able to transport the sculpture out of Hong Kong under orderly conditions and without it having suffered from any damage."

Galschiot also revealed he was in touch with several Danish members of parliament to put pressure on the country's foreign ministry to intervene in the matter, while also appealing to the Chinese embassy to offer whatever help necessary to take the sculpture safely out of Hong Kong.

A HKU spokeswoman said on Wednesday the university was still seeking legal advice and working with relevant parties to handle the situation in a lawful and reasonable manner.

HKU will negotiate with Galschiot

Many are upset the university is removing yet another reminder of June 4 from Hong Kong. 

Louisa Lim is the author of The People's Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited and she writes the ultimate motive of removing the sculpture may not be so much coerced amnesia, but the abasement of yet another Hong Kong institution.

"In requesting the removal of the Pillar of Shame, Hong Kong University is bowing down to the post-National Security Law reality and signaling that it will sacrifice its century-old tradition of academic freedom and critical inquiry in the interests of self-preservation," she writes.

Again we wait with baited breath to see what will happen to the Pillar of Shame...