A People’s Liberation Army Type 59 tank weighs 36 tons, but on June 4th, 1989 a man stopped one in its tracks. This Saturday marks the 27th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square democracy protests in China, and while the annual vigil in Hong Kong is likely to draw thousands, turn out may be affected by a lack of support from one of the vigil’s earliest and, until this year, staunchest participants.
Hong Kong is the only Chinese territory where citizens can gather and remember the Tiananmen protests, but the Federation of Students has chosen not to support the vigil this year for the first time. This pro-democracy group of student unions has instead decided that remembering the June 4th protests does not support their vision of an independent and democratic Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, as the anniversary approaches, Chinese state censors are tightening their grip on all media outlets. Recently censors have blocked access to Tumblr, one of the few global social media platforms that remains available to mainland Chinese citizens. They have also begun the process of blocking posts and searches on Weibo, a popular micro-blogging site, that contain not only provocative terms, but ones as basic as “This day” and “Today.”
In addition to these 21st century censorship tactics, state authorities employ old school surveillance methods on the families of dissidents killed in the protests. Each year at this time, those under surveillance are unable to communicate with the outside world for fear they may speak out against the government.
As this generation continues to age, there are increasing doubts that the next generation will remember the events as fervently. Many fear that as youth on the mainland prosper within the bounds of the society established by their government, they have more information yet less incentive to protest.
How Chinese society remembers June 4th and how it views democratization will continue to change with time. Persistent state censorship and a generational shift away from remembrance in both mainland China and Hong Kong may lead to a future where the protest’s symbolism has diminished.
Will Edwards is an International Producer with The Cipher Brief.
