Victoria Park in Hong Kong Used for Pro-Beijing Events Again; June 4th Vigil Displaced

This year marks the 37th anniversary of the Beijing "June 4th incident." According to reports, Victoria Park in Hong Kong, which was long used for the annual "June 4th" candlelight vigil, will continue to be used by "patriotic" hometown associations this year, with the event spanning June 4th. The Ming Pao newspaper reported today that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages Victoria Park, confirmed it has approved the "Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organizations Charitable Foundation" to use the Victoria Park football pitches and central lawn to host a "hometown market" event from May 26 to June 12, covering the date of June 4th. The report noted that this year's market is co-organized by 30 hometown associations, including the Hong Kong Guangdong Community Organizations, the Hong Kong Fujian Charitable Education Fund, and the Hong Kong Guangxi Association. For a long time, the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China held the annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park with official approval, but June 4, 2019, was the last time the Alliance held the vigil there. In early 2020, following the COVID-19 outbreak, authorities denied the Alliance's application citing the pandemic, and in subsequent years, the park was cordoned off to prevent illegal gatherings. Following the pandemic and the dissolution of the Alliance under the pressure of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Victoria Park has been used by "patriotic" groups for "hometown market carnivals" around June 4th each year.