Tiananmen vigil: China warns Western countries not to ‘play with fire’ after June 4 show of support in Hong Kong
- Foreign ministry’s Hong Kong office condemns United States, European Union and other Western countries for staging ‘clumsy political shows’
- Alliance vice-chairwoman Chow Hang-tung released on HK$10,000 bail after her arrest on Friday morning on suspicion of promoting banned vigil
The vice-chairwoman of the group that organises the annual candlelight vigil to commemorate the event – which was banned by police citing Covid-19 restrictions on mass gatherings – was released on bail on Saturday, while the Chinese foreign ministry’s Hong Kong office condemned the United States, European Union and other Western countries for staging “clumsy political shows” and acts that echoed the “very few anti-China troublemakers destabilising the city”.
An office spokeswoman also accused the West of having a hidden agenda of sowing instability in Hong Kong by using the city to carry out infiltration, subversion and sabotage against China.
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Heavy police presence in Hong Kong stops mass commemoration of June 4 Tiananmen Square crackdown
Police banned the large-scale candlelight vigil at Victoria Park for the second straight year, but Hongkongers marked the June 4 anniversary by lighting candles and flashing their phone lights in public, or attending church gatherings.
The US consulate and the EU office in Hong Kong separately posted photos on social media showing they had lit candles on their premises to commemorate the crackdown on the student-led protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square 32 years ago.
