3 Hong Kong universities remove Tiananmen Square monuments

Following the removal of the Pillar of Shame at the University of Hong Kong late Wednesday, two more Hong Kong universities have removed public monuments to the 1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protests. Government officials have been quelling dissent in Hong Kong ever since Beijing imposed a national security law on the semi-autonomous city last year.

On Friday, the Chinese University of Hong Kong removed a 20-foot bronze statue titled "Goddess of Democracy."

In a statement, CUHK said it removed the "unauthorised statue" because it never approved its installation back in 2010. The university also said no organization had claimed responsibility for its maintenance and management since then.

"Two concerned parties were initially involved in moving the statue on campus," the university said in a press release. "The 'Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China' was recently dissolved, and the Chinese University Student Union is effectively dysfunctional."

Meanwhile, Lingnan University also said it took down a Tiananmen Massacre wall relief, citing "legal and safety risks to the university community."

Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong after pro-democracy protests broke out there in 2019. As a result, authorities have been cracking down on demonstrations and arresting more than 100 activists. Others have fled overseas.

Chen Weiming, who created both the Goddess of Democracy statue and the Tiananmen Massacre relief, told the Hong Kong Free Press that the universities removed them overnight because they were afraid of public backlash. He is waiting to see if legal actions will be taken.

"I am concerned about whether the monuments are damaged and where they are placed currently," Weiming told the outlet.