Despite the police enforcing a strict ban on this year’s candlelight vigil in Victoria Park and no one could gather there to commemorate the June 4 Incident, many people still mourned the victims of the bloody crackdown in Tiananmen Square in 1989 in their own ways in various places. However, in view of the tough hand played by the Hong Kong government and the police on the June 4 vigil, as well as the recent rumors that the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPDMC or Alliance) may be scrapped, coupled with the successive withdrawal of pro-democracy groups, many democrats are not optimistic about the future of the Alliance. A democratic member from the Alliance believes that there may be more district councillors to resign before taking the oath, but as long as the public still supports the June 4 vigil, and with the support of the veteran pan-democrats and young standing committee members in the Alliance, the Alliance will not be disbanded easily. “It’s one thing to be banned by the government, but we would not be able to face Uncle Wah (Szeto Wah) if we were to disband on our own.”

The pro-democracy activist said that the pro-establishment faction has tipped off that the Alliance’s platform of ending one-party dictatorship might be in violation of the National Security Law, and that it must be outlawed and that its members will not be allowed to run for elections. Although this is not an official statement, it has put pressure on some democrats, “especially given the current political atmosphere, which is understandable.” In particular, some district councilors’ offices are “worried that this will become an excuse to disqualify their seats in the district council.” Therefore, he believes that there may again be resignations by member groups of the Alliance before district councilors take the pledge as they do not want to lose their seats or face even more political risks as a result.

However, the pro-democracy activist said frankly that, seeing that people still insist on commemorating the June 4 massacre, and there is a group of veteran pan-democrats leading the Alliance, as well as young standing committee members from within, such as Chow Hang Tung, who are adamant in holding on, they will not accept the disbandment of the Alliance. “Even if there are more groups to pull out, they will not accept a dissolution,” and even if the government outlaws the Alliance, they believe that people will still continue to observe the June 4 vigil. “I remember Uncle Wah has said that even if there are no more Alliance, no more June 4 vigils and marches, people will still carry out their own mourning as long as the June 4 massacre has not been vindicated.”

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