These decisions occur in the aftermath of the disbursement of a sculpture at a University of Hong Kong. Beijing continues to impose its authoritarian brand on the semi-autonomous region since the major events of 2019.
Le Monde with AFP
After the debunning of a first sculpture Thursday, two other works commemorating Tiananmen ‘s Prémiocracy Movement were withdrawn, Friday, December 24, two universities, announced the institutions.
In the morning, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) debated the statue the goddess of the democracy of his campus. The establishment explained that the withdrawal of the “unauthorized statue” occurred after an internal evaluation, adding that the groups responsible for the installation of the work on the campus in 2010 were no longer active.
This work of Chen Weiming, a replica of 6 meters high of the one who had been erected by the students protesting on Tiananmen Square in 1989, was also a symbol of the Hong Kong democrat movement.
“Like a thief in the night”
The artist, located in the United States, expressed with the France-Press agency (AFP) his “regret” and his “anger”, explaining that the university had acted “illegal and unreasonable” . “They act like a thief in the night,” Reacted Mr. Chen, while campuses are deserted during the Christmas holidays.
“This is the opposite of being clean and honest … they were afraid of being exposed and undergoing a stick return from the students and alumni.”
The sculptor assured that his work was a loan and that he would engage in legal action if it was damaged. He said consider seeking his referral to California, where he runs the liberty sculpture park.
The University of the Georgetown Law School Eric Lai chaired the CUHK student union when the statue was installed on campus in 2010. For him, the withdrawal of the goddess of democracy constitutes “a new submission of Local authorities (academics) at the national security regime “.
” Legal risks “
For its part, Lingnan University has announced the withdrawal of Tiananmen’s events, a work of the same artist, after “examined and evaluating the elements on the campus that can present legal risks and Security for the university community “. Friday afternoon, prospectuses wearing the Chinese character meaning “shame” were visible at the location of the bas-relief and elsewhere on the campus.
The day before, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) had debated a statue, the pillar of shame, commemorating the Sangla repression Of 4 June 1989. The universities join the ongoing repression against Tiananmen’s events that have long been a symbol of the political freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong until 2020.
The annual vigil of June 4th is prohibited since 2020, officially for sanitary and safety reasons. Many of his organizers were arrested and a museum dedicated to the repression of the 1989 Chinese student movement was closed. Beijing has printed its authoritarian brand on the former British colony since the great and sometimes violent manifestations of 2019, including a Draconian national security law.