As the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Incident approaches, the Hong Kong Police Force again opposed the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPDMC)’s “Don’t Forget June 4” march on June 30 and the candlelight memorial rally in Victoria Park on June 4 on the grounds of gathering restrictions and epidemic prevention. Subsequently, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPDMC) announced the cancellation of the event, but the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) still inspected people wearing black clothes at the original gathering place of the march on the 30th. Wang Fengyao, a protester who often appears at demonstrations, held up a yellow umbrella alone and held up a banner in memory of June 4, hoping to walk from Wanchai to the Central Office in Sai Wan, but was arrested by police for “suspected illegal assembly” and taken to a police car.
According to “Apple Daily” reports, the afternoon of the 30th, the Hong Kong police in Wan Chai, including the MTR station multiple entrances and exits, as well as the march was scheduled to gather outside the starting point of the Southorn Stadium “in heavy force”, during the police holding two large stacks of ticket books, to the stadium of the public intercept check, many of them dressed in black youth.
At around 2:00, “Granny Wang” Wang Feng Yao arrived alone outside of the stadium and sat down on the ground, holding a placard with the slogan “32, June 4 Lament for Tiananmen” and a yellow umbrella with the British flag on it.
After that, Wang planned to walk along the original march route to the Liaison Office, but as soon as she set off, there were uniformed female inspectors trailing her.
After about 10 minutes of negotiation, Ms. Wang was allowed to go, but was stopped again by the police in front of the flyover opposite the police headquarters. Wang Fengyao kept saying: “I am only one person, only one granny, why not let me go”? Afterwards, a police officer at the scene accused Wang of “suspected illegal assembly” and wanted to arrest her, then took her to a police car and forcibly confiscated the yellow umbrella and banners.
The police accused her of “unlawful assembly”, which aroused the discontent of the Hong Kong media. A reporter looked up the Public Order Ordinance, Article 18, pointed out that to constitute an “unlawful assembly” at least three people involved, and to disrupt the order or conduct with intimidating, insulting or provocative behavior, causing any person to reasonably fear that their behavior will disrupt the peace of the community. And the elderly Granny Wong, wearing a mask and walking slowly alone, exercising only her right to freedom of expression, simply does not meet the definition of the Public Order Ordinance, questioning the Hong Kong Police Force to prepare a charge to suppress the people of Hong Kong who are reasonably protesting.
According to section 18 of the Public Order Ordinance, “unlawful assembly” is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment or a fine of HK$5,000 and three years’ imprisonment. Hong Kong’s Apple News has made inquiries with the police about the incident, but as of press time, there has been no response from the police.
In recent years, Granny Wong has become a well-known figure in the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, and she has also appeared on international pages repeatedly, and is considered the epitome of Hong Kong people’s spirit.
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