Portraits of Tiananmen

Sin Wai-keung, 52, newspaper editor and former news photographer, poses in front of a projection of a photograph he took in Beijing in 1989, in Hong Kong May 22, 2014. Sin's photo shows a man standing in front of a column of tanks in Beijing on the...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Sin Wai-keung, 52, newspaper editor and former news photographer, poses in front of a projection of a photograph he took in Beijing in 1989, in Hong Kong May 22, 2014. Sin's photo shows a man standing in front of a column of tanks in Beijing on the morning of June 5, 1989. Recalling the moment he took the photo, Sin said, "Most important, it got photographed. I didn't think about the danger, or whether it would become an iconic image, as the news was still going on." Sin further said, "I believe there will be more important images on June 4th to surface in the future which fully describe the event." June 4, 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Lee Cheuk-yan, 57, lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, poses with a candle in the center of a pathway symbolizing a bright future at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong May 28, 2014....more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Lee Cheuk-yan, 57, lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, poses with a candle in the center of a pathway symbolizing a bright future at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong May 28, 2014. Recalling his memories of his support for the pro-democracy protest, Lee said, "Before the crackdown, I thought it was the hope for China. Hearing the gunshots made it the darkest day of my life. Being detained for three days afterwards was a shocking experience to me." Lee further said, "Everything still feels like it happened yesterday. We maintain the spirit of the movement, but we have not achieved what the movement has been demanding." REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung (R), 58, and worker Koo Sze-yiu, 67, pose with a mock coffin inside a factory building, where Koo made the coffin, in Hong Kong May 31, 2014. The two are some of the most prominent protesters in the territory, due to their...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung (R), 58, and worker Koo Sze-yiu, 67, pose with a mock coffin inside a factory building, where Koo made the coffin, in Hong Kong May 31, 2014. The two are some of the most prominent protesters in the territory, due to their radical gestures in demanding the redress of the military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. Recalling his memories of the time, Koo said, "I was very angry and thought the regime had no future." Leung said, "If another pro-democracy movement occurs on the mainland and we protest, I guess we will face the Hong Kong garrison of the People's Liberation Army, and not Hong Kong police." The Chinese characters on the coffin read, "Eternal glory to the people's heroes". REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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A framed photo of the late Szeto Wah, who was a lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, at a candlelight vigil on June 4, 2007, is seen in this photo illustration taken in Hong Kong on...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

A framed photo of the late Szeto Wah, who was a lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, at a candlelight vigil on June 4, 2007, is seen in this photo illustration taken in Hong Kong on May 27, 2014. "To redress June 4" was one of the wishes of Szeto, who died in 2011 at the age of 79. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Barrister Martin Lee, 75, a former lawmaker and founding chairman of the Democratic Party, poses with a model of the Goddess of Democracy statue at his office in Hong Kong May 21, 2014. Recalling his memory of the military crackdown, Lee said, "I...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Barrister Martin Lee, 75, a former lawmaker and founding chairman of the Democratic Party, poses with a model of the Goddess of Democracy statue at his office in Hong Kong May 21, 2014. Recalling his memory of the military crackdown, Lee said, "I immediately cried when someone phoned me telling me about it, as I couldn't imagine they would open fire on their own students and people." Lee further said, "I still think the massacre is wrong and it has to be redressed." REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Local businessman Chan Tat-ching, 70, poses at Victoria Park in Hong Kong May 26, 2014. Chan was the commander of "Operation Yellowbird", which, under his command, helped over 130 students and dissidents flee from mainland China, after the military...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Local businessman Chan Tat-ching, 70, poses at Victoria Park in Hong Kong May 26, 2014. Chan was the commander of "Operation Yellowbird", which, under his command, helped over 130 students and dissidents flee from mainland China, after the military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. Chan has attended every annual candlelight vigil held at the park to commemorate those who died in the crackdown. Recalling his memory of the time, Chan said, "Initially I thought China was engaged in a big progress to allow student protests at Tiananmen Square for such a long time, but I started worrying when things developed." Chan further said, "I do not regret what I have done for the Operation. It is lucky that China's economy has improved since then." REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Columnist Johnny Lau, 60, a former Hong Kong journalist based in Beijing, poses in front of an installation of the Tiananmen Gate at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong May 30, 2014. Lau witnessed the progress of the pro-democracy movement and the...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Columnist Johnny Lau, 60, a former Hong Kong journalist based in Beijing, poses in front of an installation of the Tiananmen Gate at the June 4th Museum in Hong Kong May 30, 2014. Lau witnessed the progress of the pro-democracy movement and the military crackdown in the Chinese capital between April and June 1989. Recalling his coverage, Lau said, "I didn't feel frightened but angry. How could they shoot ordinary residents who didn't carry any arms? I thought it was the result of an unbalanced power between authorities, which was not how a modern government should act. I need to maintain the historical truth for future generations to keep a record, and to judge." REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Lawyer Kenneth Lam, 46, the former chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, poses beside an replica of the Goddess of Democracy statue at The Chinese University of Hong Kong May 30, 2014. Lam, who was studying at the university and was in...more

Monday, June 02, 2014

Lawyer Kenneth Lam, 46, the former chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Students, poses beside an replica of the Goddess of Democracy statue at The Chinese University of Hong Kong May 30, 2014. Lam, who was studying at the university and was in Beijing supporting mainland students, was in one of the last batches of people to flee Beijing's Tiananmen Square early on June 4, 1989 during the military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. Recalling his memory of the time, Lam said, "I felt shocked and sad when the soldiers used not plastic bullets or water cannons, but machine guns." Lam further said, "I am pleased to see after all these years more people, especially young people, standing on the bright side of humanity, and demanding the issue be redressed." REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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