Tang Ngok-kwan, a former organizer of Hong Kong's annual Tiananmen Square crackdown vigil, continues to personally commemorate the event, even as public remembrance has been suppressed and his former colleagues face convictions under a national security law. Tang, 58, visits locations where public commemorations once took place, including Victoria Park, where tens of thousands gathered annually. On the eve of the anniversary, he bowed at the park and read a list of victims' names in a low voice.
Two of Tang's former colleagues were convicted Friday under a Beijing-imposed national security law, facing up to 10 years in prison. Their vigil organizing group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, was also found guilty. Judges ruled the pair had incited others to overthrow China's Communist Party leadership through unlawful means. Many observers view these convictions as a reflection of the decline in freedoms in Hong Kong since its return to Chinese rule in 1997.
Tang expressed that the verdict did not convince him and that he felt wronged on behalf of those convicted. He noted a wariness surrounding any mention of the alliance following its conviction. Tang joined the movement supporting Beijing's student-led pro-democracy protests in 1989, recalling the government's violent crackdown on June 3-4 when tanks entered Tiananmen Square.
Following the crackdown, members of the Hong Kong Alliance, along with sympathizers, aided individuals wanted by authorities and organized the large-scale annual candlelight vigil. Tang feels a moral obligation, believing Hong Kong's support may have left students with no easy exit in 1989. This sentiment drove his continued involvement behind the scenes.
The Hong Kong authorities banned the annual vigil in 2020, citing public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Weeks later, Beijing enacted the national security law, ostensibly for the city's stability after the 2019 protests.
In 2021, an official criticized the slogan "end one-party dictatorship," indirectly targeting the alliance. Police also sought information about the group's operations and finances, alleging foreign agent connections. The alliance refused to cooperate, calling the request an "abuse of power." Tang was arrested days later for this refusal, along with other core members. The alliance's chair and vice-chairs, Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, and Albert Ho, were charged under the security law. The group disbanded, and commemorative statues and a relief at university campuses were removed in late 2021.
In 2023, Tang, Chow, and another core member received 4 1/2-month prison sentences for failing to provide authorities with information. Tang's sentence coincided with the 35th anniversary of the crackdown, which he marked by running 35 barefoot laps. The trio's convictions were later quashed in 2025 by Hong Kong's top court, though they had already served their terms.
The legal proceedings continued with the trial for Lee and Chow beginning in January, and Tang attending court sessions regularly. Ho pleaded guilty, which typically results in a reduced sentence.
Public commemoration of the crackdown had already become a sensitive issue. Police detained individuals attempting public remembrance near the former vigil site. After pandemic restrictions eased, Victoria Park was occupied by an annual carnival on the anniversary.
Tang was prevented from entering the courtroom on Friday if he insisted on bringing materials such as bookmarks with the words "vindicate June 4." He has walked between a subway station and the courthouse, noting there are 64 steps from the subway exit, a number he links to the June 4 anniversary. Tang described these detailed observations as a way to cope psychologically when concrete actions are not possible.