Two dozen Hong Kong activists have been charged for participating in an illegal assembly as they took part in a vigil commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Among those charged include Joshua Wong, the 23-year-old pro-democracy demonstrator who’s become the de facto face of the city’s protest movement.
The protests took place on June 4, and police say the demonstration went against the city’s restrictions on gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic. In Hong Kong, demonstrators have to get permission for large gatherings before assembling in the streets. Tens of thousands gathered for a vigil with lit candles recognizing the anniversary.
The Tiananmen Square massacre took place on June 4, 1989. Hundreds of thousands of protesters had been gathering in the square for days, outraged by the country’s lack of political freedoms and economic prosperity. Chinese military and police stormed the area, firing into the crowds. Hundreds were killed, and as many as 10,000 were arrested.
On Thursday, Hong Kong police released a statement detailing the charges. Nineteen men and five women, aged 23-69, were charged.
This offense does not fall under the preview of China’s “national security” law for the city, instituted several weeks ago, that has been used to crack down on dissidents. Rather, these activists are being charged under an existing statute.
Wong responded on Facebook. “Clearly, the regime plans to stage another crackdown on the city’s activists by all means,” he said.
Activists see many of these coronavirus restrictions as a convenient excuse for Beijing to eliminate free expression. Hong Kong’s Legislative Council elections have been delayed for a year by city officials using the same explanation.
