Hong Kong

Hong Kong University students hold a small act of rebellion against the Chinese government crackdown, hiding tiny figures of a "democracy goddess" on campus to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Advertisment

Tomorrow marks the 33 year anniversary of the brutal Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989.

Even though no official figure for the deaths from this massacre was released, as per estimates by human rights groups and witnesses it ranges from several hundred to several thousand.

Also read | Tiananmen Square Massacre: What really happened in 1989?

Advertisment

In mainland China, the mere mention of this government brutality is all but banned. Hong Kong for years remained the one city that not only fearlessly spoke about it, but also held annual candlelight vigils in commemoration of the lives lost.

However, since 2019, even this semi-autonomous area has witnessed a crackdown at the hands of the authorities. This year too the city's police have released a statement warning people against holding the annual Victoria Park vigil, saying that visiting the site will be considered a breaking of the law.

Watch | Hong Kong Police warn against Tiananmen massacre's 33rd anniversary gathering

Advertisment

Faced with this crackdown, the youth, the future of the country, have responded by rebelling themselves. As per a report by BBC in the lead-up to the massacres' anniversary the students of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) have been hiding tiny figurines of a democracy goddess around campus. 

The figurines are copies of the "Goddess of Democracy" statue, which enjoyed a prominent place on the campus for eleven years before being pulled down by University officials last year. The statue was also a copy; it was modelled after the original democracy symbol paraded by students in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. 

Also read | Hong Kong police issues warning over Tiananmen Square anniversary gatherings

The tiny figurines are 3D replicas printed by the protestors. Speaking to Hong Kong Free Press, one protest organiser said that the rebellion is for the statue that the university 'stole' from its students.

The concealed statues around the campus have with them notes urging the finder to 'Bring her home, and do not forget the meaning behind it!!" reports BBC.

Watch WION LIVE HERE:

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.