Hong Kong youth reluctant to attend Tiananmen vigil
Student unions at more than eight universities have refused to attend memorials for China's deadly Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, saying the message of the vigil is no longer relevant.
Thousands of people take part in a candlelight vigil to mark the 28th anniversary of the crackdown of the pro-democracy movement at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in 1989, at Victoria Park in Hong Kong, China. June 4, 2017.
Hong Kong is one of the few regions in China's territories to host an annual vigil in memory of those who died in Beijing's Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.
But in the past two years, student unions have boycotted the longstanding vigil in Victoria Park as they say its message is increasingly irrelevant.
The vigil was attended by thousands on Sunday. Organised by an umbrella group of veteran democracy activists, it showcases demands for justice for the victims of the crackdown and also pushes for the democratisation of China.
Beijing sent tanks to quell the 1989 student pro-democracy protests and has never released a death toll. Estimates from human rights groups and witnesses range from several hundred to several thousand. China has previously banned search terms related to the brutal crackdown on prodemocracy student-led protests near the June 4 anniversary.
TRT World's Britt Clennett has more on the story.
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