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Brian Wong

The creator of a sculpture commemorating those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown will ask Danish authorities to negotiate with Hong Kong for its return, with city officials disputing his claims of owning the confiscated artwork.
The fate of the “Pillar of Shame” sculpture has come back under the spotlight after the High Court on Friday handed jail sentences to three former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China at the end of a high-profile national security trial.
In a reply to the South China Morning Post, Danish artist Jens Galschiot said he intended to ask his government to officially declare the eight-metre-tall (26-foot) sculpture a work of art and part of his country’s cultural heritage so it could be returned to “its rightful owner”.
He revealed he had raised the issue with the Danish parliament’s foreign policy committee, adding that a cross-party group of the European Parliament and the European Union’s Hong Kong office had also followed up on the matter.
“For me, the issue is quite simple: the ‘Pillar of Shame’ is my sculpture,” Galschiot said.
“It was never given away. It should not be confiscated or destroyed because of its political symbolism or because it commemorates the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre.”
In its verdict last month, the court found the now-disbanded alliance had incited supporters to undermine the Communist Party’s leadership by advocating the group’s operational objective of ending “one-party dictatorship” in mainland China.

The three presiding judges found the alliance had organised various public events to achieve that aim, including the annual cleaning of the sculpture at the University of Hong Kong campus.
The court has adjourned a decision on the sculpture’s disposal, pending the hearing of further arguments.
Chief Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah of the force’s national security department rejected Galschiot’s claim of ownership on Friday and said the sculpture belonged to the alliance, whose properties were now under the official receiver’s jurisdiction.
Without mentioning the sculpture by its name, Li said “this pillar” was closely linked to the alliance’s attempts to incite others to undermine the Communist Party.
“I think the rationale is very simple. You created something and gave it to someone else. Can you ask to take it back any time you want?” he said.
Security minister Chris Tang Ping-keung added that any item relevant to the commission of an offence should be confiscated.
Former alliance vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung, who was sentenced to seven years and three months in jail on Friday, had demanded that the sculpture be returned to Galschiot.
But the court said she might not be in a position to comment since she did not act on behalf of the alliance during the trial.
The judges nonetheless invited Chow to make written submissions on the matter, but added she should also include reasons why she was a relevant party.
The alliance was best known for organising annual candlelight vigils to mark Beijing’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters on June 4, 1989. The event used to be the only large-scale commemoration of the incident on Chinese soil.


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Hong Kong courts

‘Pillar of Shame’ sculptor to ask Denmark to negotiate for artwork’s return

Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot stands beside the “Pillar of Shame” at the University of Hong Kong in 2013. Photo: Handout

The sculpture at the University of Hong Kong in 2021. A court has adjourned a decision on its disposal, pending the hearing of further arguments. Photo: Nora Tam

Tiananmen vigil leaders jailed for up to 7 years, group fined HK$1.5 million

Medina Chow (left), the mother of former alliance vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung, and Elizabeth Tang (right), wife of former chairman Lee Cheuk-yan, speak to the media outside West Kowloon Court. Photo: Edmond So

Chief Superintendent Steve Li of the police force’s national security department speaks to the media outside West Kowloon Court after the verdict. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen vigil drew thousands to Victoria Park before it was banned and its organiser disbanded. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong security chief says seizing of ‘Pillar of Shame’ unrelated to coming Tiananmen Square crackdown anniversary

Hong Kong’s security minister has dismissed concerns the “Pillar of Shame” was seized because of the coming anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Photo: Dickson Lee

Workers remove the Pillar of Shame from the university’s campus in December 2021. Photo: Sam Tsang

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Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Hong Kong officials rebut Jens Galschiot’s claims of ownership, note sculpture previously given to alliance challenging Communist Party


Hong Kong officials rebut Jens Galschiot’s claims of ownership, note sculpture previously given to alliance challenging Communist Party.


‘Pillar of Shame’ sculptor to ask Denmark to negotiate for artwork’s return

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Hong Kong officials rebut Jens Galschiot’s claims of ownership, note sculpture previously given to alliance challenging Communist Party

Hong Kong officials rebut Jens Galschiot’s claims of ownership, note sculpture previously given to alliance challenging Communist Party