Hong Kongers are seeking innovative ways to commemorate the victims of China's deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown after authorities banned an annual vigil and vowed to stamp out any protests come Friday's anniversary -- @AFP
news.yahoo.com/hong-kongers-c…
Local artist Kacey Wong has collected hundreds of spent candle stubs from previous vigils and plans to give them to residents on Friday night.
"Each burned candle contains a person's mourning towards those who sacrificed themselves in pursuit of democracy, as well as one's longing for democracy, a mix of complex emotions," Wong told @AFP. "I hope they can continue to shine the way towards freedom and democracy."
Activists say authorities will struggle to eliminate all acts of commemoration in a city that still seethes with resentment towards Beijing after 2019's huge and often violent democracy protests were stamped out.
Historically, the Tiananmen vigil candles are lit at 8.09 pm -- representing 1989.
Albert Ho -- a now-jailed former lawmaker and one of the vigil organisers -- suggested Hong Kongers could light candles or shine mobile phone lights in their local neighbourhoods.
“We can regard the whole of Hong Kong as Victoria Park and spread out our candlelights,” he told @SCMPNews before he was sentenced last week for attending previous democracy protests.
scmp.com/news/hong-kong…
Social media presents another avenue.
Artist Pak Sheung-chuen has called on residents to write the numbers six and four -- representing June 4 -- on light switches as a way to memorise Tiananmen every time they turn them on.
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District councillor Debby Chan said she plans to mourn Tiananmen by holding a poetry reading and sharing session with residents in her neighbourhood.
"This is one of the most signature events of our movement. If we give up now, the red lines will only come closer in the future."
Reporting by @ayanchiu, photos by @ILawrencephoto
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