Tiananmen vigils shift overseas as Hong Kong falls silent

HONG KONG/BEIJING — As restrictions in Hong Kong have snuffed out what were once the largest vigils marking the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, cities like London, New York, Berlin and Taipei are left carrying the candle to commemorate the June 4 anniversary.

Tens of thousands of people have left Hong Kong since a 2020 national security law came into force, many moving to Taiwan, Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia, which are expected to be the focus of events in at least 30 cities around Sunday’s observance.

Hong Kong and Chinese authorities say the national security law was needed to restore stability to the financial hub after mass protests in 2019.

Residents of the former British colony, returned to China in 1997, increasingly fear retribution for broaching sensitive subjects like Tiananmen.

“There are many things Hong Kong people can’t do anymore,” said Steven Chow, who emigrated to Britain in 2021 with his wife and two children and will join a candlelight vigil in London’s Kingston area. “Wherever there are such commemoration activities, I will take part.”