About 20 Attend Separate Vigil In TST

Around 20 people have attended a separate candlelight vigil for the victims of the Beijing massacre outside the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.

It was designed for English speakers and for those who don't support the ideas of the Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China which has been organising vigils in Victoria Park every year since the massacre took place.

The group had earlier been warned not to stage the vigil outside the Cultural Centre as it had not obtained the necessary approval.

When its members turned up on Monday evening, they were surrounded by dozens of police officers and staff from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department.

Co-organiser Michael Mo said he was happy with the turnout, even though he had predicted on Sunday that about 150 people would attend.

"What my instinct and gut feeling is that there are fewer and fewer young people are joining the candlelight vigil at Victoria Park because all those theatricals and news about the shortfalls of the alliance" - referring to the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

"And most of all, it is the principles of the alliance to rehabilitate the Tiananmen Movement and to build a democratic China. There are more young faces I can see here," Mo added.