The Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China is best known for organizing an annual rally and candlelight vigil remembering those killed in the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. Following months of anti-government protests in 2019, Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong last year. The city's last remaining pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily, was forced to close after authorities arrested staff and froze assets. The annual June 4 commemoration of the 1989 crackdown had been attended by tens of thousands, along with a July 1 pro-democracy march and rally marking Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule. While China says the new restrictions are targeted measures aiming to restore order and ensure Hong Kong's future prosperity, critics at home and abroad say they are a betrayal of Beijing's commitment to maintain Hong Kong's civil liberties for 50 years after the handover.

Source: ABC News July 10, 2021 10:52 UTC