A record 150,000 people poured into Victoria Park last night to pay homage to those who died in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 20 years ago.
The turnout claimed by organizers for the June 4 candlelight vigil would therefore equal the 150,000 who turned up for the first anniversary of the crackdown in 1990. Police, however, put last night’s attendance at 62,800 - the second highest turnout, as they estimated the 1990 figure at 80,000.
By contrast, only about 300 attended a similar ceremony in neighboring Macau last night.
Szeto Wah, chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China which organized the event, said he was more than happy as the attendance exceeded all expectations.
Because of the huge turnout, the 8pm start of the vigil was put back 30 minutes since all six football fields were packed with more people streaming in.
Around 8.20pm, the organizer opened a basketball court and an adjoining lawn to accommodate the overflow.
Veteran democrat Martin Lee Chu- ming said he was proud of those who had turned up. "Those who showed up tonight represent the views of the Chinese populations all over the world. It also shows young people have not forgotten June 4," Lee said.
Before the one-minute silence, Szeto led a group of young students who were born in 1989 to lay a wreath while the names of known victims of the crackdown were read
out. The crowd then sang and lit candles while calling for a vindication of those who lost their lives.
One of the highlights of the vigil was the broadcast of an audio clip recorded by the late premier Zhao Ziyang while he was under house arrest.
In it, Zhao reaffirmed claims the students at Tiananmen Square in 1989 had been law abiding.
Also present was Xiong Yan, the first Tiananmen student leader to take part in the Alliance’s activity in Hong Kong. "Hong Kong is the pride of China and even the whole world because the Hong Kong people uphold freedom. The world will treasure Hong Kong and her people," said Xiong, adding he was happy to be back on Chinese soil.
Before the vigil ended at 10pm, legislator Lee Cheuk-yan called on all people to join the upcoming July 1 rally.
According to a declaration at the vigil, "June 4 was the dark age of contemporary Chinese history. We again light the candle as we have lit it for the past 20 years."
Though the declaration does not accuse Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen by name, it condemns those who "buried their conscience."
The declaration read: "Regrettably, 20 years on, people who have buried their conscience express mistaken ideas, saying that 20 years of successful development will help people to arrive at an `objective evaluation’ of June 4. Does this mean that economic development can legalize and legitimize the June 4 massacre?
"Does it mean Hong Kong should cover up the crime of those in power for the sake of economic interests? Let us hold our candles, hold our dignity and conscience high, to light up Hong Kong, light up China, and not to allow ignorant leaders riding on the heads of the people to continue their arrogant ways. Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, can you hear us?"
Tsang’s remarks last month sparked public outrage as he glossed over the June 4 crackdown by speaking of the mainland’s economic development over the years. He also said his views represented Hong Kong people in general.
Among those who showed up were Lasse Markus Galschiot and Kasper Markus, sons of the Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot who made the Pillar of Shame to commemorate the 1989 crackdown.
Others said they attended the vigil to show Tsang he could not speak for them.
