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| China-Japan-Koreas | |
| Hong Kong March Marks Tiananmen Killings | |
| 2004-05-31 | |
| HONG KONG (AP) - Thousands of people marched through Hong Kong on Sunday to commemorate the killing of students by Chinese troops who broke up pro-democracy rallies in Tiananmen Square 15 years ago. The June 4, 1989 crackdown, in which Beijing used soldiers and tanks against the unarmed activists, shocked Hong Kong, then a British territory. Hong Kong reverted to China in 1997. "Chinese people will never forget this incident," said Thomas Ma, an unemployed 44-year-old. "Using guns to suppress defenseless people - you tell me whether it's right." This year's protests marking the 15th anniversary were more highly charged because Beijing last month ruled out direct elections for the territory in coming years. Rally organizer Szeto Wah said 5,600 marched Sunday - doubling the previous year's turnout. Police estimated at least 3,000 participated. As the demonstrators marched, they chanted "Reverse the verdict on June 4" and "Return power to the people." Several people carried a black coffin. Others waved banners demanding democracy in Hong Kong. "The students were innocent. They shouldn't have been suppressed with tanks and machine guns," said one man visiting from Shanghai who identified himself as Chen.
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| Posted by:Steve White |