Hong Kong (CNN) — Amid a glowing sea of candles and rallying calls for justice, a record crowd packed six football pitches at an annual vigil held in Hong Kong to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Organizers announced the highest ever turnout of 180,000 people, while police said the figure was closer to 85,000. By even the most conservative estimates, there were 15,000 more attendees than last year.
While the vigil typically features singing, speeches, video messages and tributes, the clear highlight of this year’s event was a special appearance by Fang Zheng, a former student protester who had both his legs amputated after he was run over by an army tank during the crackdown.
