China and Hong Kong tightened security on Tuesday, the 35th anniversary of the 1989 military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, to suppress any vigils in remembrance of the victims.
On June 4, 1989, People's Liberation Army troops opened fire on student-led protesters who had gathered in the square to call for democracy, resulting in 319 deaths according to the Chinese government, though some estimates put the actual number in the thousands.
China's Communist Party, which maintains one-party rule, has justified the 1989 crackdown by framing it as a necessary move to quell political unrest. Open discussion about the massacre remains taboo in the country.
Many police officers, including armed units, were deployed to the square and the surrounding area.
The Tiananmen Mothers, a group of the victims' relatives, posted a video on the internet in May in memory of those who lost their lives and repeated their call for the truth about the incident to come to light.
"For 35 years, we have never forgotten the moment (the victims) left home," the relatives said in a statement, urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to engage in dialogue with them.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters Tuesday the government had made a "clear conclusion" regarding the "political turmoil." She said, "We firmly oppose anyone smearing China and interfering with China's internal affairs by using this as a pretext."
In Hong Kong, thousands of people used to gather annually in Victoria Park on June 4 and light candles to mourn and remember the victims. But the candlelight vigil has been banned since 2020 under restrictions, apparently as part of a broader clampdown that has all but erased the public's ability to protest against the authorities.
Dozens of uniformed officers were seen surveying areas around Victoria Park on Tuesday. Police also took in several individuals, including artist Sanmu Chen, who was detained for questioning after he appeared to mime writing the numbers "8964," the date of the incident, in the air on Monday evening, according to local reports.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee defended the action of law enforcement agencies, saying, "The threat to national security is real...It is important we all bear that in mind to be on guard all the time against attempts to cause trouble to Hong Kong, particularly disturbing public peace."
The somber observance of the 35th anniversary comes a week after the national security police in Hong Kong arrested seven individuals, including democracy activist Chow Hang-tung, on suspicion of acting with seditious intention.
Chow was a vice chairwoman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, which was known for organizing the annual vigil. The group was disbanded in 2021 after some other leaders were arrested under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020.
In Taiwan's capital Taipei, over 2,000 people joined a candlelight vigil at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall to mourn for the victims of the Tiananmen crackdown, according to organizers.
Taiwan new President Lai Ching-te, who took office last month, stressed the importance of freedom and democracy that are hard-won in his social media posts.
Amid mounting military pressure from mainland China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, Lai urged people to "respond to autocracy with freedom" and "face authoritarian expansion with courage."
