Hundreds Join March Ahead Of Tiananmen Anniversary

More that 2,000 people have taken part in an annual march here ahead of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4.

Demonstrators are calling for the vindication of the pro-democracy movement that was brutally crushed in Beijing by the military in 1989, resulting in hundreds, or even thousands, of deaths.

"We are here today mostly to remind people not to forget about the June 4 incident," said a woman surnamed Kwok, who is studying social work. "It is about the student movement. They are being killed by the military power and this is not legal."

She also said democracy was not something that was going to be given so she had to march for it.

Another protester, Brian Kern, said it was important to mark the anniversary and it was something everyone in the world should remember.

The protesters carried props and banners, some of which called for the end of one party rule.

The march was organised by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. It chairman, Albert Ho, said the government's push for extradition law changes to allow fugitives to be handed over to the mainland, helped prompt some protesters to join the march this year.

"I feel that there will be people who will come out due to their concern about the fugitive law," he said.

The procession started from Wan Chai before making its way to Beijing's Liaison Office in Western.

Organisers put the number of protesters at 2,200 and police at 2,100.

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