Tel: 852-27826111 | Mail: contact@alliance.org.hk


“Remember June 4” 24km Long Distance Run

 

This year is the 24th anniversary of the June 4 Massacre. The road to democracy in China is rugged, winding and long. We must persevere, and we shall advance towards our goal of vindicating June 4 and building a democratic China.

On April 15,1989, the former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Yaobang died of a heart attack. “Big character posters” in memory of Hu appeared on the campuses of major universities in Beijing. By the next day, the contents of the big character posters had changed from mourning Hu to a debate on current politics. Students also called for a just evaluation of Hu. Memorial wreaths were placed in Tiananmen Square. On April 17, several thousand Beijing university students marched spontaneously to Tiananmen Square to mourn Hu, shouting “Down with corruption!” and “Down with Bureaucracy!” Several thousand students marched in Shanghai as well. Thus began the impressive student movement and democratic movement of 1989.

The Alliance will hold the “Remember June 4” 24km Run on April 14 (Sunday, the eve of the 24th anniversary of the death of Hu Yaobang) to commemorate death of former Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang and the 24th anniversary of the June 4 massacre. It will combine the spirit of long-distance running with the spirit of the 1989 democracy movement-- never giving up and putting all our effort toward achieving our goals. At 8:45 am (“8.9”), we will set off from University Circle, City University of Hong Kong, and begin a 24km run to commemorate the 24th anniversary of June 4. We will finish at the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong and lay flowers before its gates in memory of the martyrs who died in the course of the struggle for democracy.

 


Date: April 14th (Sunday)

Time: 8.45 a.m.

Place of assembly: University Circle, City University of Hong Kong

End point: At Liaison Office of Central People’s Government with presentation of bouquets

Route:

 

  1. University Circle, City University of Hong Kong

    In 1997, the Danish sculptor, Jens Galschiøt, sculpted a seven-meter-high “Pillar of Shame” to mark the 8th anniversary of June 4. He wishes to place it permanently in Hong Kong to bear witness to the development of democracy and human rights in Hong Kong after the resumption of Chinese sovereignty. Hong Kong Alliance’s application to place it in a public place was rejected by the Urban Council. When the Pillar arrived in Hong Kong, it was first erected in Victoria Park on June 3, then transported to the University of Hong Kong on the night of June 4. Although the university administration and the police attempted to thwart the entry of the Pillar, by 3 am they bowed to public pressure and the Pillar was erected on Haking Wong Podium. The following year, the Alliance applied again to the Urban Council for a permanent display location, while the Pillar went on a roving exhibition between the seven universities in Hong Kong. On March 29, 1998, the Pillar was erected at City University.

    New Academic Building

    Tat Chee Avenue

    Cornwall Street

    Across Waterloo Road

    Turn left into Sir Run Run Shaw Building

    Hong Kong Baptist University Student Union （~1.4km）

  2. Hong Kong Baptist University Student Union

    In June 2012, the six-foot tall plaster statute of the Goddess of Democracy gifted by the Hong Kong Alliance was erected here. It was made by 6 Hong Kong arts students in 4 nights. It remains at the Student Union to bring the message of the democracy movement into the campus.

    Kam Shing Road

    Junction Road

    Waterloo Road

    Boundary Street

    Nathan Road

    Turn left at Austin Road Junction

    Cox’s Road Junction

    Cross Chatham Road South

    Cheong Wan Road

    Hong Kong Polytechnic University Students’ Union Building （~6.5km）

  3. Hong Kong Polytechnic University Students’ Union Building
    On May 1st 2004, the unveiling ceremony of the Goddess of Democracy was held at the Peak Tower. After being on display at the Peak for two days, the statute went on a roving exhibition among the eight universities in Hong Kong, finally being erected at the Polytechnic University till today..

    Hong Chong Road

    Cross Harbour Tunnel Footbridge

    Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade

    Tsim Sha Tsui East Avenue of Stars

    Tsim Sha Tsui East Riviera Garden

    Clock Tower, Tsim Sha Tsui （~2.2km）

  4. Clock Tower, Tsim Sha Tsui
    Hong Kong Alliance has held National Day, Christmas Eve and Ching Ming Festival events here.

    Crossing the Harbour by Star Ferry

    Star Ferry Pier No. 7, Central

    Man Yiu Street

    Long Wo Road

    Tamar Park （~1.3km）

  5. Tamar Park
    On Sep 1, 2012, the “Civil Alliance Against National Education” held the “Conscience First, Protect our Children” school opening ceremony. Over 10,000 people joined despite rainy weather.

    Legislative Council Complex

    Central Government Headquarters

    Tim Mei Avenue

    Across Harcourt Road via footbridge

    Harcourt Road

    Police Headquarters

    Turn left at Arsenal Street

    Hennessy Road

    Cross the road at Stewart Road

    Henessy Road

    Former Tai Kung Po Office（~2km）

  6. Former Ta Kung Pao office
    After June 4, 1989, Ta Kung Pao published a leaflet entitled “Witnessing History”, with pictures and words documenting the development of the 1989 democracy movement. On May 20 1989, after the declaration of martial law in Beijing, Wen Wei Po, near Ta Kung Pao published a blank editorial, putting instead the words “Deep Anguish” at its place, shocking all in Hong Kong..

    Hennessy Road

    Canal Road West

    Canal Road East

    Russell Street

    Under the Big Clock, Time Square（~0.7km）

     

  7. Under the Big Clock, Times Square

    In 2009, from October 1 to 3, Hong Kong Alliance held the “Strive for Chinese Human Rights” 60-hour hunger strike and a series of events reflecting on the past 60 years of Chinese history, with the slogans, “60 years have passed, where are human rights? Have the Chinese people stood up?” On May 29, 2010, the New Goddess of Democracy statue and June 4 Massacre relief sculpture were transported from USA to Hong Kong, and were erected at Times Square by the Hong Kong Alliance. They were forcibly confiscated by the police, and thirteen Hong Kong Alliance Standing Committee members and volunteers were arrested. On the afternoon of May 30, after the demonstration commemorating the 21st anniversary of June 4, Hong Kong Alliance erected the Hong Kong-made Goddess of Democracy on Times Square. This was also confiscated by the police and two Standing Committee members, Lee Cheuk Yan and Leung Kwok Wah, were arrested. On June 2, under increasing public pressure, the police unconditionally returned the two Goddess of Democracy statues and the relief sculpture, transporting them to Victoria Park for public display. Standing Committee member Li Yiu Kee was subsequently politically prosecuted for failure to apply for an entertainment license. The verdict was handed down on June 29, 2011. Li was found guilty and fined $2000. Hong Kong Alliance paid the fine, but has also helped engage a lawyer to appeal the verdict. The appeal is still in proceeding. In recent years from June 2 to 4, the Hong Kong Federation of Students has been holding 64-hour hunger strike to commemorate June 4.

    Russell Street

    Kai Chiu Road

    Jardine’s Crescent

    Across Yee Wo Street

    Great George Street

    Across Inner Gloucester Road

    Victoria Park South Pavilion Square (Gate 7, Victoria Park) （~0.7km）

  8. Victoria Park South Pavilion Square
     For three days starting on January 19, 2005 at 12 noon, an altar was displayed at the South Pavilion Square of Victoria Park for people to lay flowers to mourn the death of Zhao Ziyang. Nearly 10,000 signatures were collected. People also expressed their views on a Democracy Wall that had been erected for the occasion.

    South Road, Victoria Park

    Victoria Park football field(where the annual June 4 candlelight vigil is held)

    Victoria Park bronze statue (Exit Gate 1)

    Across Causeway Road

    Hong Kong Central Library（~0.4km）

  9. Hong Kong Central Library
    The Central Reference Library on the 9th floor has a large collection of books on June 4, including both the official and civil account of the event. It is a useful resource for the understanding and study of the history of the 89 Democracy Movement and June 4 Massacre.

    Causeway Road

    Leighton Road

    Po Leung Kuk

    Morrison Hill Road

    Public Toilets outside Hong Kong Racing Museum

    Happy Valley Racecourse（~1.3km）

  10. Happy Valley Racecourse
    On the evening of May 21, 1989, the founding of Hong Kong Alliance was announced at the racecourse. On May 27, a 12-hour fundraising concert, “Songs of Democracy for China”, was held here, attracting a crowd of over 200,000. On June 4 of the same year, a silent vigil, “The Black Sit-In” was held. 200,000 Hong Kong citizens attended, all dressed in black.

    Morrison Hill Road

    through the underpass at Wong Nai Chung Road

    former Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong Branch（~0.2km）

  11. Former Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong Branch （Now the Cosmopolitan Hotel)
    On May 20, 1989, the Chinese government declared martial law in Beijing. Braving a signal-8 typhoon, 40,000 citizens marched from Victoria Park to the Xinhua News Agency. Up to the handover in 1997, the agency was the end point of the annual June 4 memorial march and most demonstrations supporting the democratic movement in China.

    Intersection of Queen’s Road East and Hennessy Road（~1.4km）

  12. Intersection of Queen’s Road East and Hennessy Road

    Queensway

    Bank of China Tower

    Crossing the Road at Garden Road

    Chater Garden（~0.8km）

  13. Chater Garden
    On May 4, 1989, the 70th anniversary of the May 4 Movement, over 5,000 university students marched to a rally at Chater Garden, in solidarity with the Beijing student movement.

    Old Legislative Council
    Since 1997, the Alliance has raised the motion of “Rectifying June 4th Verdict” at the Legco. The motion was passed only once before the handover by an overwhelming majority of 29 to 1. After the handover, although the motion still received the more than half of the total votes, it was still defeated since it failed to gain majority support in the Functional Constituency.

    Chater Road Pedestrian Zone （~0.2km）

  14. Chater Road Pedestrian Zone
    This was the starting point of the two-million-man marches on May 21 and 28, 1989. Up until 1997, this was the starting point of the annual June 4 memorial march and most demonstrations supporting the democracy movement in China. After the handover, it became the starting point for a number of marches to the Lisison Office, including the “Fighting for Human Right in China” march on Oct 1 2009, and “Demanding a transparent investigation into the death of Li Wangyang” march on June 10 2012.

    Pedder Street

    Queen’s Road Central

    D'Aguilar Street

    Sheung Wan Civic Centre

    Possession Street

    Queen’s Road West

    Western Street

    Pokfulam Road

    Across High Street

    Hing Hon Road

    Across Bonham Road

    Stairway at Swire Hall, University of Hong Kong

    Swire Bridge, University of Hong Kong （~3.1km）

  15. Swire Bridge, University of Hong Kong
    Every year, the students at the University of Hong Kong re-paint the June 4 slogan on the bridge: “The murder of the city in cold blood / The heroic souls of the martrys will not disappear / The wolves will be eliminated / The spark of democracy will not be extinguished”

    Pillar of Shame, Haking Wong Podium, University of Hong Kong（~0.6km）

  16. Pillar of Shame, Haking Wong Podium, University of Hong Kong
    On December 3, 1998, the Student Council of the University of Hong Kong voted to display the Pillar of Shame on a permanent basis on campus. The Pillar was moved to the University at noon that day and erected next to Haking Wong Podium. On June 2, 1999, the Pillar was transported to Victoria Park football field, where the June 4 candlelight vigil is annually held, and was subsequently moved by the HKU Student Council to the Haking Wong Podium on the night of June 4 for permanent display. The Pillar has remained here ever since.

    West Gate, University of Hong Kong

    Footbridge at Chiu Sheung School

    Pok Fu Lam Road

    Third Street

    Water Street

    Des Voeux Road West

    Western District Police Station（~0.9km）

    Western Street

    158A Connaught Road West

    Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong
    Since the handover in 1997 , many protests against the actions of the Chinese government have taken place outside the gates of the Liaison Office, the agency charged with representing the Chinese central government in Hong Kong.（~1.2km）

Please Note:

  • Participants should consult their doctor before signing up and make sure that they are sufficiently physically fit for the long run.
  • If participants feel ill in the days leading up to the event, they are advised to consult their doctor before joining the run.
  • Please try to be unobtrusive to passers-by and pay attention to safety, as most of the sections are on public sidewalks.
  • Please sleep well before the run.
  • Please wear suitable clothing. Sportswear and running shoes are ideal.
  • Please warm up before starting the run.
  • Participants must abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the organizer.
  • Participants are welcome to store their belongings in Hong Kong Alliance's support vehicles, but please do bring along change or an Octopus card, in case you have to quit the run. Then you can take public transport to the noon rally at the Pillar of Shame, and run together to the end point at the Liaison Office.
  • Vehicles will be arranged along the route to provide participants with water and sports drinks. At the end point, bananas and chocolates will be served to recharge participants’ batteries. (Planned locations of support stations: City University of Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier, Times Square, Central Library, Xinhua News Agency, Queen’s Road East, Chater’s Road Pedestrian Zone, Pillar of Shame, Liaison Office)
  • Participants should drink plenty of liquids both before and during the run in order to prevent dehydration or heat stroke.
  • Please support each other during the run. If participants spot an accident or need help for any reason, please notify officials nearby or contact the Alliance Secretariat at 2782 6111.
  • If you have to quit because of injury or for any other reason, please notify officials nearby or contact the Hong Kong Alliance Secretariat at 27826111.
  • Please keep the streets clean and do not discard rubbish on the streets.
  • The run will be cancelled if typhoon signal number 8 or the black rainstorm warning is posted after 7 am on the day of the event.

Registration: Please fax the application form to the Hong Kong Alliance Secretariat at 2770 6083 or email it to contact@alliance.org.hk by March 31st.

Souvenir: “The further we walk, the closer we get to vindicating June 4” t-shirt or “June 4” 24th anniversary commemorative t-shirt

Fee: Free

Enquiries: 2782 6111 (Hong Kong Alliance Secretariat)