Tiananmen Square massacre: The faces of the people holding the Chinese government to account

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Over 180,000 people gathered in the Hong Kong suburb of Causeway Bay, in a moving vigil for the lives lost on 4 June 1989. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

Jessica Washington reports from Hong Kong

Over 180,000 people gathered in the Hong Kong suburb of Causeway Bay, in a moving vigil for the lives lost on 4 June 1989.

For many in the crowd, the vigil was not just a chance to reflect on the past – but also, to show their concerns about the future of Hong Kong.

SBS News asked some of the attendees about their motivation for joining the vigil.

Wintelly Wong

Wintelly. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

"Thirty years ago I was here with my dad and mum. Now I want to pass this onto my little girl. We have to pass on the history. That’s why I’m here with my daughter today – she doesn’t understand today, but one day she will, and she will pass it onto her children. We just ask for justice, for fairness. A government should not do such harmful things to its own people."

Kingsley， Kenny 和 Kensington

Kingsley, Kenny and Kensington Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

Kingsley: "What we have now is because of what people did in the past. So it is our job to work for the future."

Kenny: "We are the future of our society, and we should not forget what happened on 4 June. China promised there would be one country, two systems, but soon that won’t be the case. We are fighting for our future."

Kensington: "The most disgusting part is that the government used unacceptable violence on citizens. I’ve been coming to this event for three years because I hope the government will one day respond. We should always remember what our predecessors did for us, for democracy."

Joan

Joan. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

"It’s to remind myself to remember the spirit of them, and to contribute to democracy. I worry that not a lot of people care about politics, and they are not willing to contribute to it. A lot of people forget about history, and they let go. If we do that, we may forget democracy."

Gabby

Gabby. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

"I learned about the protests from my parents. They told me it was an important thing for them at that time, and many students sacrificed themselves on that day. I’m from the mainland, but I enjoy the freedom of speech here in Hong Kong, and I don’t want Hong Kong to just become like other places in China. I also hope that Hong Kong can keep its special qualities."

Yvonne

Yvonne. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

"This is important, not just for Chinese, or for people in Hong Kong. It’s important for the whole world to know that in 1989, Beijing killed many people. They deny it, but we know it’s true. We have freedom, we have the rule of law in Hong Kong, so every year, we come here to show the world, we do the right thing."

In recent years, crowds have dwindled - but for the 30th anniversary, it was the strongest turnout in years.

Over 180,000 people gathered in the Hong Kong suburb of Causeway Bay, in a moving vigil for the lives lost on 4 June 1989. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

Over 180,000 people gathered in the Hong Kong suburb of Causeway Bay, in a moving vigil for the lives lost on 4 June 1989. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

In recent years, crowds have dwindled - but for the 30th anniversary, it was the strongest turnout in years. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

In recent years, crowds have dwindled - but for the 30th anniversary, it was the strongest turnout in years. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News

Over 180,000 people gathered in the Hong Kong suburb of Causeway Bay, in a moving vigil for the lives lost on 4 June 1989. Source: Jessica Washington/SBS News