Hong Kong Police Stop Chan Mei-tung Over 1 Symbolic Balloon on June 4 Eve

3 articles · Updated · Hong Kong Free Press · Jun 3

Causeway Bay police stopped, searched and escorted performance artist Chan Mei-tung on Tuesday evening after she appeared near SOGO with balloons, including one shaped like a golden question mark.
At about 7:18 p.m., officers demanded her ID and later took her to a nearby MTR station, where she destroyed the balloon after being told balloons were banned on the metro.
Earlier the same evening, police also stopped and searched fellow artist Sanmu Chan, who said he was displaying a 6.4-metre red string — an apparent reference to June 4.
Victoria Park, once the site of annual Tiananmen vigils drawing hundreds of thousands, has not hosted the event officially since 2019; after the 2020 national security law, organizers disbanded and leaders now face trial.
This year's anniversary week instead features a pro-Beijing food carnival in the park, while police have continued the now-routine searches and detentions of artists, activists and members of the public around June 4.