Hongkongers Determined to Remember June 4

A few thousand people came out to Victoria Park tonight

The city was on edge today wondering what would happen on the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

For the past three decades, people would make their way to Victoria Park, putting up with pan-democratic figures shouting on the bullhorns to solicit donations and people handing out flyers about political parties or remembrances of June 4.

Lighting up our small collection of candles

Once inside the park, the same songs would be repeated over and over before the actual vigil began with a wreaths carried and a large flame lighting a cauldron on stage.

Everyone would light their candles and have a moment of silence.

But this year the police had banned the event, and just for extra measure, officers used police tape to cordon off the football pitches. Oh and to further discourage people from even going near Victoria Park at lunchtime, police in riot gear flooded the Causeway Bay streets leading to the park.

However Hongkongers were not deterred. Many of them began showing up at Victoria Park towards 8pm and a few thousand people arrived, pushing down the barriers and tape and with main organizer Lee Cheuk-yan, began a pared down version of the vigil.

The police were standing nearby and used loud speakers to warn people they were taking part in an illegal assembly, but did nothing to clear attendees in the area.

A full moon and the dark liaison office at left

Others gathered in Mongkok by Langham Place, or outside several MTR stations, like Sai Ying Pun, Tuen Mun, and Tai Wai.

My friends and I decided to meet at Instagram Pier and light candles there. It was the perfect evening to gather in Victoria Park with a strong breeze going, but for us the breeze made it difficult to keep our candles lit. Nevertheless our intentions were there -- to remember the countless number of victims who died in the pursuit of democracy and accountability.

People are determined to keep June 4 alive despite the impending national security law. Tonight was proof that Hongkongers will press on despite the challenges. To not remember the victims of the June 4 massacre would be unimaginable.

"We will fight on, we will let the world know we will not give up our freedom," Lee said at the end of the vigil.

Carrie Lam's "Extremely Submissive" Beijing Visit

Political cartoonist Zunzi's take on the national security law

In Beijing today, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor reported China's leadership has heard the concerns of Hongkongers on the national security law. When asked what she told them, Lam refused to divulge what was said.

"I will not disclose what we discussed in the meeting. I can only say that... on this important Hong Kong matter, central government officials can hear the opinion raised in Hong Kong, as well as those raised in foreign countries. I believe that they don't need the chief executive to come to Beijing personally to reflect those," she said.

Tanya Chan says Lam is "extremely submissive"

It is believed the law will be passed by August and senior Chinese officials have repeated that only a small minority of people will be affected by this law.

Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan Suk-chong described Lam's attitude towards Beijing as "extremely submissive".

Views will only be heard in seminars organized in Shenzhen and Beijing, which Chan hinted was not very helpful for Hongkongers who wanted to give their feedback.

Speaking of submissive, political cartoonist Wong Kee-kwan, aka Zunzi is quite busy these days drawing cartoons critical of both Beijing and Hong Kong governments.

One of his latest ones about the national security law features a police officer from mainland Chinese coming out of the Bauhinia flower and in one hand he has a cage, and in the other has a pair of tongs picking up Hong Kong to put in the cage.

Lam says Beijing has heard feedback from HK

Zunzi was asked if it was unusual for his cartoons to be featured on the front page of newspapers and magazines.

"It's not that unusual, because in the past few years, there has been so many demonstrations in the streets that it is difficult for the editor to find a suitable way to express them... They can't find a good photo to cover... the whole story. So sometimes they ask me to make a picture to represent the situation. So in the past few years, I think I have done more than 10 to 12 cartoons.

In the last few years he has drawn Chief Executive Lam more often, and his description of her is on point:

Zunzi with Lam as a maid with a teapot

"Well, before and when she started to become chief executive, we didn't draw her too badly. But now, right now, we find that she is just like a servant, like a maid of Xi Jinping. She directly serves Xi Jinping only... I draw her as a maid, holding a teapot... ready to serve Xi Jinping everyday."

Wonder how she sees it, and if Zunzi can continue drawing her like that after the national security law is passed...

Undemocratic Ways to Solicit Opinions

Behind Lam it says "Preserve One Country Two Systems"

Tomorrow Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will head to Beijing to convey her views and public opinions about the national security law that is being drafted.

However, whose opinions will she communicate to the Standing Committee?

Today Lam got Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, President of the Legislative Council, to ban Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai from asking about the new law, saying it was national-level legislation and therefore not the work of the city government.

This is the first time since the handover that Legco has forbidden a lawmaker from raising a question with proper notice given.

Wu Chi-wai unable to ask a question on the bill

Wu wanted officials to explain what measures would be taken to protect people's rights and freedoms under the Basic Law after the national security law is implemented.

Leung claimed the matter is "not part of the Hong Kong government's work" because it involves defense and foreign affairs which is under the central government's purview.

Wu said the ban of his question was a "formal rejection" by the Hong Kong government of consultations with lawmakers and the public over legislation.

Which seems opposite to what Tam Yiu-chung said a few days ago. He claimed the public could send their concerns and opinions to the National People's Congress website. So to reject a lawmaker's concern on behalf of Hongkongers is very concerning.

But Tam, the sole Hong Kong member of the Standing Committee of the NPC has also changed his tune.

Tam (left) shows over 2.9 million signed petition

In the past few days there have been posters and tables on street corners, asking people to sign petitions in support of the national security law, an the pro-establishment side claims 2.93 million Hongkongers have signed it, and added Tam would present these to the liaison office.

He is obviously fishing for brownie points with Beijing, because a recent survey conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Program revealed 96 percent of respondents opposed the upcoming national security law, and of those who were pro-government, 29 percent rejected the legislation, while 62 percent supported it.

Both Tam and Lam can only say so much about the national security law because they have no idea what exactly is in it. It is a complete farce for them, along with the security and justice chiefs to promote the law when they are not even privy to know what's in it.

Apparently lots of people support the new law

It is akin to a car salesman trying to sell you a vehicle without knowing any of its specific features, only saying that it's a car that you must have. Now.

No wonder people are rushing to the exits. Today a colleague who has a British passport, endorsed several others co-workers' applications for BNO passports. I joked that my colleague should charge a "processing fee", as this person has signed over 10 applications for co-workers and their family members.

But really it's not a laughing matter when a law that you don't know anything about is going to be foisted on you whether you like it or not...

New Covid-19 Cases and June 4 Vigil Banned

Three women were infected with the virus at this warehouse

Hongkongers are on high alert again after three local residents were tested positive for the coronavirus. Two women worked at Kerry Logistics warehouse in Kwai Chung, and a paramedic handling the two patients also got infected.

The two women are linked to a 34-year-old woman who tested weak positive for the virus on Sunday, and her 56-year-old husband is positive too.

Dr Chui said hand hygiene and masks important

There are now 1,087 cases in Hong Kong.

Reporters asked health officials if further social distancing measures needed to be applied, but they repeatedly stressed individuals to be diligent about hygiene, frequent hand washing and wearing masks.

Infectious diseases expert Dr Ho Pak-leung from the University of Hong Kong suggests perhaps the women at the warehouse may have come into contact with someone who may have violated home quarantine measures, or recovered coronavirus patients who may have relapsed.

There are now 1,087 cases in Hong Kong

"The government should not have a false sense of security and think these cases will not cause a community outbreak," Ho said.

He urged officials to step up monitoring of those undergoing home quarantine and recovered patients.

While Ho said restaurants should continue to limit gatherings of eight per table, when it comes to people being outdoors, as long as they are wearing a mask it is not necessary to limit gatherings.

So for the Hong Kong police to ban this Thursday's candlelight vigil in Victoria Park to mark the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre due to Covid-19 is regrettable.

It claimed that people could not gather in groups of bigger than eight, and that any large assemblies could increase infection risks for the public.

The June 4 candlelight vigil is banned this year

Pan-democrat Lee Cheuk-yan, who chairs the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, has said the government's extension of the restriction on gatherings a political one, pointing out schools had started to reopen and allowed larger religious gatherings.

At a press conference following Monday's decision, Lee said the police were simply using the virus as a pretext to do something they had intended to do.

"This year, on the 31st anniversary [of Tiananmen Square], without even having the national security law in place, [the vigil] was banned by the police in the name of the virus," said Lee.

"We believe this is totally unreasonable and unscientific, because everything is normal in Hong Kong. They are just using this excuse to suppress our rally," he added.

Lee says police ban is political

Lee said whether the vigil was allowed or not was a "litmus test" for the "one country, two systems" principle.

In any event, organizers have called for people to join an online commemoration and people can pick up candles from 60 booths around the city that day. The program includes observing a minute of silence at 8.09pm.

Sadly last year might be the last vigil Hongkongers could gather to mark the horrific and tragic events of June 1989. We may see more "last time" events this year...