HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong authorities for the second year have banned the June 4 candlelight vigil commemorating the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Organizers say police had objected to the event because of social distancing restrictions. For years, Hong Kong and Macao were the only cities in China where people were allowed to mark the 1989 anniversary of Beijing’s crushing of the Chinese democracy movement. The ban comes as Beijing tightens control over Hong Kong with mass arrests of pro-democracy activists and a sweeping national security law. Organizers this year have urged people to light a candle no matter where they are on June 4. Leading activists who attended last year’s unauthorized vigil have been sent to jail.
