Hong Kong’s Tiananmen Memorials Muted by Big Police Presence
- Authorities cited Covid-19 curbs in banning annual vigil
- Scattered protests still broke out even as China tightens grip
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Hong Kong deployed thousands of police officers on Friday night and prevented major protests on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, although some residents still risked arrest to register their defiance as Beijing increases its control over the city.
Authorities cited the pandemic in banning the June 4 vigil for the second year in a row, arresting democracy activists and locking down a major park where the event’s been held for three decades. Officials have barred groups of more than four people in public despite few daily virus cases, with critics saying the move is more to prevent the reemergence of protests that rocked the city in 2019.