Public spaces in Hong Kong used to fill with hundreds of thousands of candles every June 4. Now, a single man scraping the air with his fingers brings out a squad of police officers.
Sanmu Chen, a well-known local performance artist, stood in the bustling shopping district of Causeway Bay. It was the eve of the 35th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. He didn’t carry a banner. He didn't shout slogans. He simply raised his hands, mimicking the action of pouring wine into the street—a traditional gesture of mourning for the dead. Within moments, more than a dozen police officers surrounded him, bundled him into a police van, and drove away.
He was released later without charge. But the message from the authorities was unmistakable. Even symbolic gestures are too risky for the current political climate.
This isn't just about one arrest. It shows how drastically the city has changed. For three decades, Hong Kong was the only place on Chinese soil where mass commemorations of the 1989 military crackdown were permitted. Today, the physical vigils are gone, but the struggle over memory has moved into a tense new phase.
The Shrinking Space for Public Memory in Hong Kong
Public remembrance of June 4 used to define the city's unique status under the "one country, two systems" framework. Victoria Park hosted massive candlelight vigils organized by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.
Things changed rapidly after Beijing imposed the National Security Law in 2020. Authorities banned the vigils, officially citing pandemic restrictions at first. The Hong Kong Alliance dissolved under legal pressure. Its leaders faced prosecution. Museums dedicated to the events of 1989 were forced to close. Universities dismantled iconic statues, including the Pillar of Shame at the University of Hong Kong.
The legal landscape grew even tighter with the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, known locally as Article 23. This law expanded the government's powers to target treason, insurrection, and external interference.
The security presence on the streets has become intense. Hundreds of police officers, including tactical units, patrol the areas around Victoria Park and Causeway Bay during early June. Armored vehicles park near shopping malls. Officers stop and search anyone wearing clothing or carrying items that might signify dissent.
Why Symbolic Art Has Become the New Battleground
When traditional protests are outlawed, art becomes the default language of resistance. Sanmu Chen’s performance was an attempt to use theater to bypass political red lines.
Performance art is fluid. It doesn't rely on physical props that the police can easily confiscate before the act begins. By mimicking the act of pouring a libation, Chen tried to evoke a collective memory without saying a single word.
The swift police response shows that authorities are no longer just looking for illegal gatherings. They are actively policing intent. The police treat ambiguous, symbolic acts as potential threats to public order.
This creates a climate of deep uncertainty for local creatives. Artists don't know where the boundaries lie. The rules aren't written down in a clear checklist. Instead, the red lines shift constantly, forcing individuals to self-censor or risk detention.
How Citizens Are Commemorating in Secret
The official ban hasn't wiped out the memory of 1989. It has simply pushed it underground and online. Hong Kongers are finding decentralized, low-tech ways to keep the anniversary alive without attracting police attention.
- Decentralized lighting: Instead of gathering in a park, individuals light single candles or turn on their smartphone flashlights inside their homes, near windows, or while walking down quiet streets.
- Digital archiving: Activists outside Hong Kong are scanning and digitizing old photographs, news reports, and documents from the past vigils, ensuring the historical record remains safe from local censorship.
- Cryptic social media posts: People post blank squares, historical weather reports from June 1989, or mathematical equations like "64" to signal remembrance without triggering automated content filters.
- Private reading groups: Small groups meet in private residences or independent bookstores to discuss history books that are quietly disappearing from public libraries.
Memory is incredibly stubborn. You can clear a park, but you can't easily clear a mind. The heavy police presence on the streets actually serves as a stark yearly reminder of why people wanted to remember in the first place.
The Global Shift of the Remembrance Movement
As the space for remembrance inside Hong Kong shrinks to near zero, the responsibility for keeping the memory alive has shifted entirely to the global diaspora.
Large-scale vigils now take place in cities like Taipei, London, Vancouver, and New York. Former Hong Kong residents, British citizens, and Taiwanese activists have taken over the organizing duties. In Taipei's Liberty Square, thousands regularly gather to replicate the old Victoria Park atmosphere, complete with the traditional songs and speeches.
These international events do more than just look back at 1989. They connect the historical events of Tiananmen Square directly to Hong Kong's recent political shifts. For the diaspora, remembering June 4 is a way to maintain their cultural identity and continue their political expression safely from abroad.
Steps to Take to Keep History Alive Safely
If you are trying to navigate the complex world of documenting sensitive history or supporting free expression, you need to act deliberately and protect your digital footprint.
First, secure your communication channels. If you are sharing historical documents or discussing sensitive topics, move away from standard SMS or unencrypted chat apps. Use end-to-end encrypted platforms like Signal. Set your messages to auto-delete to ensure no permanent trail remains on your device.
Second, support independent archiving projects. The digital record is vulnerable to deletion and link rot. You can contribute by donating to organizations like the Internet Archive or supporting decentralized web projects that store historical data across global networks, making it impossible for a single government to take down.
Third, look for verified, primary sources when researching historical events. Do not rely solely on social media algorithms, which can be easily manipulated or censored. Seek out academic databases, published memoirs, and established international news archives to get an accurate understanding of the past.
