Hong Kong Passes New Law

Hong Kong passed a law on Thursday making it a crime to disrespect the national anthem of China while pro-democracy activists went on to hold a candlelight vigil in Victoria Park to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing.
Honoring the historic moment of China’s independence in 1989—when hundreds of student-led demonstrators protesting against the Communist Party were killed when tanks rolled through Tiananmen Square — was banned for the first time this year.

Earlier this week, the police said they denied the organizers’ proposal for a vigil because it would break coronavirus social distancing laws that prohibit meetings of more than eight individuals.

Still, people, most sporting masks, crowded the park to stage a minute of silence at 8:09 p.m. Many sang “Democracy now” and “Stand for Freedom, Stay with Hong Kong.”

After the vigil ended in Victoria Park, groups of demonstrators clad in black carried banners that read, “Free Hong Kong, Revolution of our day” as well as “Hong Kong Independence.”
Meanwhile, Tiananmen Square itself was largely empty, with the exception of a large police operation and a number of armed space security vehicles. Few pedestrians lined up at security checkpoints, where IDs had to be shown to be allowed to pass through as part of national mass surveillance to prevent any commemoration of the event.

The latest National Anthem Bill was partially reactionary to anti-government demonstrations last year, but Beijing ‘s hold on Hong Kong continues to strengthen.
Last month, China’s symbolic parliament agreed to circumvent Hong Kong’s legislature to enforce national security laws on semi-autonomous territories. Democracy activists and many legal experts are concerned that the law might restrict free speech and opposition lobbying efforts.

In addition , 15 seasoned leftists have recently been arrested on charges of planning and engaging in last year’s protests.

U.S. — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed his condemnation of China and Hong Kong for prohibiting the demonstration earlier this week as he visited a party of Tiananmen Square members in the State Department.