Taipei holds 3 minute silence to commemorate 28th Tiananmen anniversary

Record ID: 878105

  • Title: Taipei holds 3 minute silence to commemorate 28th Tiananmen anniversary
  • Date: 4th June 2017
  • Summary: TAIPEI, TAIWAN (JUNE 4, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SUPPORTERS SEATED IN FRONT OF STAGE WORD ON SIGNBOARD READING (Chinese): "28th ANNIVERSARY OF JUNE FOURTH COMMEMORATIVE EVENT" VARIOUS OF WANG DAN LOOKING ON SCREEN SHOWING DOCUMENTARY VARIOUS OF SUPPORTERS LOOKING ON CHINESE DISSIDENT WANG DAN WALKING ONTO STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE DISSIDENT, WANG DAN, SAYING: "There are three reasons to commemorate the June 4 (Tiananmen Square crackdown). Firstly, we express our concern about the universal value and universal human rights to commemorate June 4. Secondly, we express our determination of safeguarding our freedom, democracy to commemorate June 4. Thirdly, we heckle the Communist Party to commemorate the June 4, expressing our biggest protest to them. Let them know that the crimes they committed will never be forgotten." SUPPORTERS LOWERING THEIR HEADS PRAYING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 26-YEAR-OLD GRADUATE STUDENT, LAI CHIEN-HUA SAYING: "Younger people from Hong Kong or younger Taiwanese think that June 4 belongs to Chinese. (June 4) is not really related to the Taiwanese or people of Hong Kong. But I think June 4 is June 4 of the Chinese but also June 4 of the whole world. All people in the world have to remember June 4. I think as citizens of this world, we have to remember this incident." MEMBER OF A SOCIAL GROUP DELIVERING SPEECH VARIOUS OF WANG DAN LOOKING ON (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 47-YEAR-OLD SUPPORTER, CHANG YU-CHIN, SAYING: "I am actually a mother of two children. I came here to speak out for this kind of democratic event again because for me, human rights are a basic thing for us. I also hope that our children can live in a democratic environment when they grow up. So speaking out about democracy and human rights for any of our nearby countries is actually helping us, strengthening our liberal environment." ORGANISERS CHANTING SLOGAN ON STAGE ORGANISERS HOLDING PHOTOS OF CHINESE DISSIDENTS IN PRISON
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2017 16:48
  • Keywords: silence anniversary Taiwan Tiananmen Square China
  • Location: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • City: TAIPEI, TAIWAN
  • Country: China
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016JV4NRB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Less than a hundred supporters gathered on Sunday evening (June 4) in Taipei to commemorate the 28th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests.
    Supporters sat side by side, listening to speeches by Chinese dissident Wang Dan and members of support groups on stage.
    A three minute silence was held for those who died during the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing in 1989.
    Compared to previous years, fewer supporters were present due to torrential rain across Taiwan.
    China views self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province and has not ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.
    Nearly three decades after Beijing sent tanks and troops to quell the pro-democracy, student-led protests, Chinese authorities ban any public commemoration of the subject on the mainland and have yet to release an official death toll.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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