波士頓六四燭光晚會 訂 6/3 晚舉行

波士頓六四燭光晚會

Boston Vigil for the Tiananmen Massacre
Date: June 3rd, 8:00pm
Location: Boston Chinatown Tiananmen Monument
Candles will be provided at the event.
現場將提供免費蠟燭

維園燭光 世界延續

自1990年始，香港維園的燭光每年都會如期在六月四日晚亮起。即便面對97年主權移交後來自中共極權統治的威脅，這片火海從未消失。縱使漸漸有香港本土派的聲音表示「代表中國人要求平反六四，在香港已不合時宜」，但是不要忘卻，傳統的六四晚會和新興本土的六四集會都是代表嚮住民主，自由和人權的訴求。

而在2019年，因為香港政府打算強推「送中條例」，維園六四燭光集會的參與人數顯著反彈，六四晚會也有了新的意義。就算在2020年，香港政府用「限聚令」打壓六四晚會，香港人仍然不懼打壓，讓悼念的燭光「遍地開花」。縱然面對《港區國安法》和港警的極力迫害，上年仍有不少市民到維園外點起蠟燭悼念六四。可惜，隨著支聯會和民陣解散，各政治人物相繼被捕、入獄，維園也再難有燭光。處於自由世界的我們，無論是希望平反六四，或是希望「光復香港」，定需將這追求民主，自由和人權的星星之火延續下去。

6月3日晚上八點，波士頓唐人街天安門紀念碑，不見不散。

Candlelight of Victoria Park Lives on around the World

Ever since 1990, candlelight had always lit up Victoria Park on June 4. After the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, this sea of light continued to glow even in the face of the totalitarian regime of the Chinese Community Party. Then came voices from groups concerned with local awareness, asserting that “demanding vindication of the June 4 Massacre on behalf of the Chinese people was irrelevant to Hong Kong”. However, let’s not forget that both the conventional June 4 memorials and the new generations’ assemblies on June 4 stand for the demand for democracy, freedom and human rights.

In 2019, the Hong Kong government prompted a huge surge in the attendance of the June 4 vigil when it tried to push the passage of the extradition bill. The vigil also gained a new meaning as a result. In 2020, the mass vigil was banned by the Hong Kong government citing COVID restrictions on gatherings. Hongkongers had their candlelight “blossom everywhere” in defiance. Last year, withstanding the suppressive Hong Kong National Security Law and the Hong Kong police, many Hongkongers still lit candles outside of Victoria Park to commemorate the anniversary. Unfortunately, with the Hong Kong Alliance and the Civil Human Rights Front disbanded, and activists become political prisoners, the annual vigil in Victoria Park seems unlikely. For those of us living in the free world, whether we want to vindicate June 4, or “reclaim Hong Kong”, we must keep the flame alive in our pursuit of democracy, freedom and human rights.

See you all on June 3 at 8 pm at the Boston Chinatown Tiananmen Monument.