溫哥華支援民主運動聯合會

維園燭光重現溫哥華
3000人林思齊公園紀念六四

又到「六四」。溫哥華支援民主運動聯合會（下稱溫支聯）今年移師溫哥華市中心林思齊公園，紀念「六四」34周年燭光晚會，吸引約3000市民踴躍參加，令已經消失的「維園燭光，重現溫哥華」。晚上九時後，獻點燭光的人群在公園內排成兩行人龍，各長百多米，十分壯觀。

位於福溪（False Creek）邊的林思齊公園，風景秀麗，地方寬大，加上天公造美。六四紀念活動下午四時起，已經陸續有人到，許多家庭都帶來了草地座墊，一家大小即可享天倫之樂，也可以表達訴求。到六點，開始有現場音樂會，由樂隊演唱六四抗爭歌曲，引起陣陣掌聲。

晚上七時，活動正式開始。溫支聯主席李美寶首先即在致詞時指出，歷年來，六四燭光晚會都在中國駐溫總領館外舉行，這是首次移師在市中心林思齊公園舉辦，具有重要象徵意義。林思齊是香港移民，為本省的經濟繁榮作出巨大貢獻。她表示，今晚的燭光晚會，不僅是紀念1989年6月4日，在北京天安門廣場被中共政府殘忍殺害的民主烈士，還要聲援香港2019年以來，因反送中運動被港共當局殘酷鎮壓，以及實施《國安法》以來，在香港被捕被判刑的人士。

李美寶又抨擊中共肆無忌憚干涉加拿大內政。她並敦促政府驅逐所有企圖粗暴干涉我國選舉，以及加拿大生活方式的中國代理人。
 

前香港支聯會理事麥海華也在集會上發表演講，他痛心地指出，香港已經被中共摧殘得面目全非，不可能再舉辦六四晚會。他說，希望林思齊公園能成為海外的維園，年年都能舉辦六四燭光晚會。

中國民主黨代表郝丹說，紀念六四的人們都是「最有良心、最具正義、最有勇氣的人」，而六四則是是「中國自由民主道路之光」。他又呼籲中共立即還政於民，開放黨禁，實行公開和直接民選。

香港網台主持「傑斯」尹耀昇，曾因在網台發表特首「死全家」等言論，在香港繫獄逾兩年。他也來到晚會現場，講述他在香港繫獄的故事。他又說，很高興看到超過三千人來參加燭光晚會，這都「多得」香港特首李家超倒行逆施，希望明年會有更多的人來參加。

另外，國際特赦的Don Wright，卑詩大學名譽教授Diana Lary，上海移民Frank Shen，以及前香港大學學生會主席馮敬恩等，也發表了演說。其中Frank Shen還譴責那些獲得「六四」血卡和借「六四」之名來到海外的中國人，其中有些人更成為「小粉紅」，更是無恥之尤。

到晚上九時，參加人群開始敬獻燭光，兩行逾百米長的人龍，井然有序地向主席台前燭台獻上燭光，活動到達高潮。

溫哥華市議員周楠和本拿比市議員李燦明，以及前國會議員趙錦榮等都參加了晚會。今年已經100歲高齡的前香港政論家許行，也參加了活動。

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2023 June 4 Commemorative Candlelight Vigil
Post Event Press Release

On June 4, 2023 the Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement (VSSDM) held its 1989 Beijing Tiananmen Square Massacre commemorative candlelight vigil in David Lam Park in downtown Vancouver.
 

A record number of over 3,000 people attended the event, the last of a series of commemorative activities VSSDM hosts every year to remember the victims of the bloody crackdown of the student protests in 1989.  This year the venue has changed to David Lam Park, partly to accommodate a larger crowd, partly to hope to recreate the unforgettable image of the sea of lights in Hong Kong Victoria Park, whose annual vigil has been banned since 2020.
 

The event began at 4pm with colorful exhibitions of the history of 1989 student movement in Beijing, as well the history of the Hong Kong democracy protests since 2019.  On display are articles and images of media reporting chronicling the details of the two movements.  A live band performed pop music and democracy songs, people started to gather, many with the whole family, the elderly and small children.
 

At 7pm Mabel Tung, Chairperson of VSSDM welcomed all participants, she spoke of those who died 34 years ago in Tiananmen Square and the Hong Kongers who died since 2019.  She reaffirmed our commitment to not forget the atrocities committed by the authoritarian regime of the Chinese Communist Party and warned us of Chinese agents infiltrating into the Canadian society.
 

Numerous speakers took to the stage, they included human rights groups from mainland China and Hong Kong, Hong Kong University student union past president, Hong Kong radio host who has served jail time for speaking out, international human right group and a UBC academic. Every now and then the audience put their cellphones on flashlight and waive in rhythm with the democracy songs played.
 

To conclude the event, thousands of candles were lit up on the sprawling grassland of the waterfront Park, sparkling brightly against the evening summer sky of Yaletown. With the candles in their hands, over 3,000 people vowed never to forget the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre and never to give up Hong Kong. For many who have fled Hong Kong and made Vancouver their new home, this night is the night that they come home.
 

VSSDM thanks all the volunteers who have worked so hard to made this event a success, we also thank all who participated and we wish to see you again next year and many more years to come.

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