Hong Kong rally marks Tiananmen killings

HONG KONG -- Angered by China's hard line against democracy in Hong Kong, tens of thousands of people waved candles, sang, and chanted yesterday to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing.

Vowing to fight on for universal suffrage in China and Hong Kong, the massive crowd bowed three times -- a Chinese funeral tradition -- in the direction of a monument dedicated to those killed in the June 4, 1989, military assault. "Democracy's heroes stand forever," it read.

"May your spirits be with us as we continue the fight," opposition lawmaker Szeto Wah said.

In Beijing, police kept tight control over Tiananmen Square, detaining at least 16 people to ensure there was no public expression of dissent.

Extra guards were deployed around the square, and an Associated Press photographer was briefly stopped after taking pictures of detentions. Chinese tourists were forced to delete photos from their digital cameras.

People young and old sang and chanted at the annual commemoration that was highly charged this year after Beijing told Hong Kong citizens in April they cannot directly elect their next leader in 2007 or all lawmakers in 2008.

Organizers claimed a turnout of 82,000, but police said the crowd had peaked at 48,000. Holding up thousands of candles, the demonstrators created a sea of flickering lights that spread across a sprawling park. The gathering took on the appearance of a big outdoor rock concert.

With its free-speech rights, Hong Kong is the only place in China where such demonstrations are held. But many in Hong Kong say they are locked in the same struggle as the student activists who died in Beijing 15 years ago.

"Hong Kong should be democratic," said university student Rocker Tsui. "Hong Kong people should be ruling Hong Kong ourselves."

The 1989 crackdown gave Hong Kong a political awakening, and its memories still resonate. Locals were stunned and outraged to see their motherland turn troops on unarmed students. Hundreds if not thousands of people were killed, and 1 million people spontaneously took to the streets of Hong Kong in protest.

At the time, Hong Kong was just eight years away from being handed back to China by Britain, and the Tiananmen Square events stirred mistrust on both sides. Beijing feared the protests in Hong Kong were an indication that the freewheeling territory it was about to inherit could become a base for subversion.

The Chinese government says its troops were needed in June 1989 to break up a counterrevolutionary riot, but Hong Kong residents believe the real intent was stopping any challenges to one-party rule.