AP PHOTOS: Tiananmen crackdown exhibit opens in Hong Kong

  • An eye of an activist shown on a TV screen and a picture depicting a man blocking a line of tanks at the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing are displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4th 1989 crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • Pictures for past years of people gathered during a candlelight vigil at Victoria Park are displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A 1989 newspaper on the crackdown of the June 4, 1989, pro-democracy movement in Beijing's Tiananmen Square is displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A picture showing a man blocking a line of tanks at the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing is displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A visitor stands next to a cutout of a Goddess of Democracy at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A man walks past a backdrop of a Goddess of Democracy statue at the Tiananmen Square at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A picture showing a man blocking a line of tanks at the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing is displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A board showing the number of people attending the annual candlelight vigil at Victoria Park in past years is displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • A staff member adjusts exhibits at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • An image on a TV screen and a picture on the wall both showing a man blocking a line of tanks at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • An image of China President Xi Jinping is shown on a TV screen at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
  • Visitors walk in the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4, 1989, crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
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APTOPIX Hong Kong June 4 Museum

An eye of an activist shown on a TV screen and a picture depicting a man blocking a line of tanks at the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Beijing are displayed at the "June 4 Memorial Museum" run by pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 30, 2021. The museum commemorating the June 4th 1989 crackdown in Beijing reopened Sunday, in advance of this year's anniversary. The museum's organizer usually hosts an annual candlelight vigil, but in the face of a second year of refusal of permission from authorities on COVID-19 concerns, and the imprisonment of others for last year's event, this time, organizers said they would not try again, but keep their museum open til 10 p.m. on June 4. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
ZEN SOO
·1 min read

HONG KONG (AP) — The organizer of Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square candlelight vigil has opened its yearly exhibit of photographs and paraphernalia from the bloody 1989 crackdown in Beijing on those calling for democracy in China.

The opening comes even as Hong Kong authorities have for the second year in a row banned the annual June 4 vigil, which normally draws tens of thousands of people into the streets. Authorities have cited the risk of the coronavirus, though the cancelation coincides with a broader crackdown on political activism and dissent in the city.

Organized by the The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the museum each year shows photographs from the 1989 democracy movement as well as pictures from past candlelight commemorations in Hong Kong.

This year, visitors to the museum will also be able to lay flowers in remembrance of the victims who lost their lives in the massacre that took place on June 4, 1989.

For decades, the semi-autonomous Chinese cities of Hong Kong and Macao were the only places in China where public commemoration of the crackdown was allowed. Authorities in Macao have also canceled their vigil for a second year.

Despite the ban, thousands still turned up last year in Hong Kong's Victoria Park to light candles and sing songs. Later, police arrested more than 20 activists who were charged with taking part in an unauthorized assembly.

The crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong followed months of anti-government protests that roiled the former British colony in 2019 and shook leaders back in Beijing.

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