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Hong Kong: Danish artist calls for immunity to remove his Tiananmen memorial

2021-11-12T12:56:37.132Z


Not wanted in Hong Kong: Jens Galschiøt's work of art »Pillar of Shame«, a Tiananmen memorial, is supposed to disappear. The Danish artist now promises to be taken away, but fears for his safety.


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Sculptor Jens Galschiøt with his statue "Pillar of Shame"

Photo: Felix Wong / South China Morning Post / Getty Images

In Hong Kong, she has been commemorating the Tinananmen massacre for more than 20 years: eight meters high, weighing two tons. The statue by Danish artist Jens Galschiøt is located on the grounds of the University of Hong Kong. But the work of art with the title "Pillar of Shame" is no longer desired there: the university has asked for the statue to be removed. The deadline passed. Now Galschiøt declared in an open letter that he was ready to return the work of art to Denmark - on one condition: the Hong Kong authorities would have to grant him immunity from the national security law - in order to ensure safe removal.

"As I have read from the press, the introduction of the new security law in Hong Kong means that there is a legal basis for the arrest of foreigners who take part in activities critical of China," it reads there.

The removal of the monument will lead to media reports "that could be interpreted as criticism of China," writes Galschiøt.

"So I have to get a guarantee that my employees and I will not be prosecuted when the monument is dismantled or moved."

Deadline for removal has already expired

Jens Galschiøt had loaned the statue »Pillar of Shame« to a local pro-democracy organization, the so-called »Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movements in China«. The alliance dissolved in September. Several members were charged with national security violations. The university then asked the group to move the statue away from the site. The deadline expired a month ago. At that time it was said that the university wanted to get legal advice on what to do with the statue.

The statue "Pillar of Shame" is a memorial to the bloody suppression of the pro-democracy protests on Tiananmen Square in 1989. The work of art shows dozens of torn and twisted bodies. The date »4. June 1989 ”and the words“ The Tiananmen Massacre ”in English and Chinese. Galschiøt estimates the statue to be worth around 1.2 million euros. In his open letter, Galschiøt asked for the support of the university and city authorities with the dismantling. To do this, they would have to guarantee technical aids, roadblocks and the necessary permits, he wrote.

The university, government security bureau and immigration service have not yet responded to the letter.

In 2020 Beijing passed a controversial "national security" law.

The law targets activities that Beijing considers subversive, separatist, or terrorist.

Democratic activists and some Western governments see the Security Act as an instrument to silence dissent and put Hong Kong on an authoritarian course.

Chinese and city authorities claim that the rule of law remains in place in Hong Kong and that individual rights and freedoms remain intact.

ime / Reuters

Source: spiegel

All life articles on 2021-11-12

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