HK students have mixed feelings about June 4 vigil commemorating Tiananmen Movement
Many local Hongkongers say they will not be attending tonights event to remember those who died on June 4, 1989, in Tiananmen Square
Yesterday’s vigil marked the 29th annual commemoration of the June 4 protests.Local students have mixed attitudes towards the June 4 candlelight vigil at Victoria Park. This comes as fewer young people take part in the Tiananmen Movement commemoration event.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students, which is made up of the student unions of Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lingnan University, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, once again pledged to boycott the candlelight vigil, which occurred in Causeway Bay yesterday.
The federation first broke with the vigil’s long-time organiser, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, during the 2015 event.
Students from local secondary schools expressed mixed feelings about the event commemorating the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, with some saying, before last night, they would go if they had time, while others said they couldn’t see why Hongkongers have a sense of responsibility to mainlanders.
Mimi Wong Wing-yan, 15, from HKMA K S Lo College, said that she would go if she had the time, and that she disagreed with the student federation’s boycott.
“I think the main reason we need to participate in the vigil because we have to share the history of June 4,1989, with our future generations. If there is nobody talking about the issue, it will be forgotten.”
Others, like Marcus Kwan, 17, Munsang College, are confused about why Hongkongers still have hopes of changing the mainland.
“I don’t really care about what happens back in mainland … it’s brutal but it really seems like a lost cause.”
Pacino Leung, 17, from STFA Leung Kau Kui College, said he would not be attending because he hadn’t gone before, but added: “I think it’s a shame for China so I [am] concerned about it … Hongkongers should help fight for justice even if we don’t recognise ourselves as Chinese.”
Edited by Ginny Wong
The history behind the June 4th vigil, and why Hong Kong students attend it
A look at last night's June 4th vigil at Victoria Park, what it's for, why so many take part, and why others don't. We also spoke to a few students at the vigil to ask them why they're there.
Posted by SCMP Young Post on Tuesday, 5 June 2018