Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement

2023 is the 34th anniversary of the 1989 Beijing Tiananmen Square Massacre, it is also the 4th anniversary of the Hong Kong Anti-extradition Law protest, Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM) will hold the commemorative Candlelight Vigil in David Lam Park in Vancouver.

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Mabel Tung, Chair of VSSDM, said that the organization has been hosting the June 4 Candlelight Vigil for the past 34 years, to the disappointment of many, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been regressive in its democratization of the country.  Since 1989, China’s suppression of dissidents, freedom and human rights has intensified in an alarming speed, as witnessed in its crackdown on the democracy movements of Hong Kong for the past 4 years.

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The relationship between Canada and Hong Kong has always been close, 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre had triggered an influx of immigrant from the former British colony, however many have since returned.  It is not until CCP’s brutal crackdown of the 2019 Anti-Extradition Law protest and the imposition of the draconian National Security Law thereafter, that they are convinced to leave Hong Kong for good.  For the past two years, VSSDM has seen a dramatic increase in the number of participants of the June 4 Candlelight Vigil, with plenty of young people among them.

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Considering the thousands of participants who will be crowding the sidewalks on both sides of Granville Street in front of the Chinese Consulate General, VSSDM has decided that past years’ location for the Vigil is neither feasible nor safe.  This year, the organization will move the event to David Lam Park in downtown Vancouver. The spacious surroundings and pristine serenity of the Park provide an excellent venue to host an event of this scale, and the sprawling grassland resembles the Victoria Park of Hong Kong, where Hongkongers attended the June 4 Candlelight Vigil every year until it was banned in 2020.

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David Lam Park also gives the opportunity for local Canadians to understand more about the 1989 June 4 Massacre; when thousands of candlelight light up the June summer sky, Canadians and Hongkongers will recreate the ineffaceable image of the sea of lights in Hong Kong Victoria Park, through each and every spark of light it shines their unyielding demand to redress the June 4 Massacre, and their utter defiance to the repressive regime of the CCP.

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VSSDM has organized the following events to commemorate the 1989 June 4 Tiananmen Square Massacre, it invites all who care about the democratic movement of China and the future of Hong Kong to attend.

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May 27 (Saturday) Democracy Walk 民主行
   2:00 pm, Granville Loop Park - Granville St. & W 5th Ave
   walk along Granville St. to Chinese Consulate 

 

May 28  (Sunday) The wreath-laying ceremony 向民主女神像獻花

    10:00 am - 10:30 am Forest Lawn Cemetery 3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby
   12:30 pm - 1 pm UBC Goddess of Democracy (Between Brock Hall and the Nest)
   
June 4 (Sunday) Candlelight Vigil 燭光悼念晚會
   David Lam Park, 1300 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver 
   4:00 pm Exhibition     
   6:00 pm Live Music 
   7:00 pm Candlelight Vigil

 

溫市今年六四燭光晚會
將移師林思齊公園舉行
——維園燭光重現溫哥華

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今年是六四鎮壓34周年，也是香港反送中運動被鎮壓4周年。溫哥華支援民主運動聯合會（下稱溫支聯）將假市中心林思齊公園，舉辦大型紀念活動，希望香港維園六四的燭光之海重現溫哥華。溫支聯呼籲關注中國以及香港民主前途的市民共襄盛舉。

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溫支聯主席李美寶指出，溫哥華堅持舉辦六四燭光晚會，已經是第三十四個年頭。可惜的是，中共不思反省促進民主，反而大步倒退回歸專制，鎮壓異議人士的規模不斷升級。中國的民主運動舉步維艱，近年更陷入低潮。尤其是六四鎮壓以來，被稱為中國良心的香港，也因為中共的倒行逆施，美麗的「東方之珠」幾乎淪為一個死港，令所有有良知的人心寒。

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她表示，加拿大和香港向來關係密切，上世紀九十年代大批港人移居溫哥華。1997年回歸後，香港一度有過約二十年的平靜期，以致大批港人回流。然而，2019年中共露出殘暴的真面目，血腥鎮壓反送中運動。而前三年的新冠疫情，香港隨北京指揮棒起舞折騰不止，令人們對前途徹底失去信心，加籍港人大量再回流。溫支聯在前年和去年舉行的六四燭光晚會，都吸引了數以千計的回加港人參與，包括許多年輕港人。

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鑒於參加燭光晚會的人數近年劇增，中國駐溫哥華總領館前場地太過狹小。溫支聯因應形勢變化，決定把燭光晚會的場地，改為在溫哥華市中心林思齊公園（David Lam Park）舉行。公園是以已故香港移民、卑詩省首位華裔省督林思齊命名，在這裹舉辦有著特別的意義。
李美寶說，公園位處福溪（False Creek）旁，風景秀麗，場地寬廣，常用來舉辦大型活動。在這裹舉辦六四燭光晚會，相信可以重現香港維園的燭光之海，也可以向中共展示強有力的信息：平反八九民運，追究屠城責任，結束一黨專政，建設民主中國。

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她又表示，還有一個優勢是，林思齊公園平時人流就多，相信可以吸引一些本地人士也來參加。同時，也希望關心中國民主，關注香港前途的所有有心人，一齊共襄盛舉，令燭光之海更加明亮！

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據溫支聯的安排，六四燭光悼念晚會將從6月4日（星期日）下午四時開始，現場有「六四歷史」及「香港2019/2020抗爭」展覽，六時有現場音樂表演，晚7時正式開始悼念活動。
另外，溫支聯還將在5月27日星期六下午2時，舉行民主行，在固蘭湖街（Granville St）夾西五街街角集合，之後遊行往中國駐溫哥華總領事館。5月28日星期日，舉行向民主女神像獻花活動，上午10時在本拿比市科士蘭（Forest Lawn）墓園，以及中午十二時半在卑詩大學（UBC）舉行。

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May 27 (Saturday) Democracy Walk 民主行
   2:00 pm, Granville Loop Park - Granville St. & W 5th Ave
   walk along Granville St. to Chinese Consulate

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May 28  (Sunday) The wreath-laying ceremony 向民主女神像獻花

    10:00 am - 10:30 am Forest Lawn Cemetery 3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby
   12:30 pm - 1 pm UBC Goddess of Democracy (Between Brock Hall and the Nest)
   
June 4 (Sunday) Candlelight Vigil 燭光悼念晚會
   David Lam Park, 1300 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver 
   4:00 pm Exhibition     
   6:00 pm Live Music 
   7:00 pm Candlelight Vigil

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