HONG KONG – A Hong Kong performance artist was stopped by police while attempting to commemorate the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, underscoring the continuing sensitivity surrounding public remembrance of the event in the Chinese territory. Authorities intervened on Wednesday as artist Sanmu Chen staged a symbolic tribute near Victoria Park, a location once associated with large annual memorial gatherings.
Chen attempted to tie a red thread to a street signpost in Causeway Bay, a busy commercial district close to the park that for decades hosted candlelight vigils marking the June 4 crackdown in Beijing. The artist said the thread measured 6.4 meters in length, an apparent reference to the date of the military action that ended pro-democracy demonstrations in the Chinese capital in 1989.
Police Intervention Near Former Vigil Site
Police officers stopped Chen shortly after he began the performance and searched his belongings before releasing him. Speaking afterward, Chen said his action was intended to express condolences for those who died during the crackdown. He also criticized the level of scrutiny surrounding public expressions linked to the anniversary.
The Hong Kong Police Force did not immediately provide public comment regarding the intervention. Later in the evening, another artist, Chan Mei-tung, was also stopped by officers after displaying a question-mark-shaped balloon in the same district, according to Associated Press reporting.
Remembrance Under Increasing Restrictions
For decades, Hong Kong was the only place under Chinese sovereignty where large-scale public commemorations of the Tiananmen crackdown were permitted. Annual vigils in Victoria Park attracted tens of thousands of participants and became a symbol of the city’s distinct civil liberties.
Those gatherings were banned in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, public acts commemorating the June 4 anniversary have become increasingly restricted following the implementation of a national security law imposed by Beijing after the city’s 2019 anti-government protests. Critics have argued that the changes have significantly narrowed space for political expression and public dissent.
Repeated Detentions of Activists
Chen has previously been detained during anniversary periods. In 2024, police briefly detained him after he appeared to trace numbers associated with the June 4 date in the air. A year earlier, he was also stopped after publicly urging residents not to forget the anniversary.
The latest incident occurred as Hong Kong prepared to mark the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown. Elsewhere in the city, a pro-China organization held a carnival at Victoria Park, contrasting with the commemorative events that once drew large crowds to the venue. Former vigil organizers and activists have increasingly shifted remembrance efforts overseas as restrictions have tightened in Hong Kong.
International Attention on Civil Liberties
The treatment of Tiananmen commemorations has become a focal point in broader international discussions about civil liberties in Hong Kong. Human rights advocates and foreign governments have repeatedly raised concerns about freedom of expression and assembly since the national security law took effect, while Hong Kong and Chinese authorities maintain that legal measures are necessary to safeguard national security and public order.
Authorities have not publicly announced any charges related to Wednesday’s incidents. Additional details regarding police actions and any potential follow-up measures remained unclear.
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