A candlelight vigil ceremony is held in Hong Kong every year in commemoration of Beijing’s casualties

In June of 1989, a catastrophe emerged on the grounds of Tiananmen Square, Beijing that would change China’s course and history for good. In an effort to revolt and protest, Chinese citizens from all over the country gathered together fighting for democracy and freedom from the Chinese Communist Party. Many of the attendants were students from universities, determined to struggle for a better future.

The protest did not sit well for the Chinese government. Soon, troops stormed the area and attempted to “pacify” the protestors by force. This led to the arrests and killings of thousands of pro-democracy citizens, filling the people with despair and futility in their attempts for liberation. There has never been an official death toll, but an estimate of 3,000 civilians were injured and deaths were estimated from a few hundred to 10,000 (reported 2017) with most of them being students in college. Every year on June 4th since the tragedy, a shrine is held in Hong Kong to honor the people who had the courage to fight for a better tomorrow.