Hong Kong is increasingly under the thumb of the Chinese government For the first time since Hong Kong was brought back into China’s orbit in 1997, the city’s annual candlelight vigil in Victoria Park commemorating the Tiananmen Square Massacre is being silenced by the state, officially designated as an unauthorized assembly. Suspected organizers and demonstrators are being arrested. [CNN / James Griffiths] For years, the vigil stood as a barometer of public interest in government, and also in the government’s capacity to sanction democratic activity. Mass unrest in 2019 compelled the Chinese government to ban attendance this year and last, officially citing coronavirus concerns. [NYT / Vivian Wang] Police have already arrested top Democracy activist Chow Hang Tung, vice chair of the Hong Kong Alliance, for promoting the vigil on social media despite its ban. [The Hill / Lexi Lonas] A security law passed last year furthered a state crackdown over dissent in Hong Kong, making it easier to punish protesters and reducing the influence of local leaders. [BBC]