Fu Tong and his wife Elaine To were among the earliest to be prosecuted for rioting during Hong Kong’s 2019 pro-democracy movement, which erupted in opposition to Beijing’s tightening grip over the semi-autonomous city. After their legal troubles began, the couple fled to Taiwan, where Fu has continued his activism from exile. Now, as the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre nears, Fu is preparing to honor the day in defiance of Beijing's censorship.

In Taipei, Fu has become a prominent voice preserving Hong Kong’s protest legacy. He has co-organized a human rights exhibition highlighting protest-era art and regularly guides visitors through the showcase. “When Hong Kong is no longer allowed to hold June 4 vigils or even mention the day, Taiwan becomes a crucial space,” Fu, now 43, told Reuters. He sees the island as a rare safe zone in Asia for free speech about the massacre and its implications.

Taiwan remains the only Chinese-speaking region where open remembrance of the Tiananmen crackdown is legally possible. While communities in Western nations such as the U.S., U.K., and Australia also commemorate the date, in Hong Kong the once-massive candlelight vigils have been outlawed under the city’s sweeping national security law. The crackdown has criminalized public dissent, effectively erasing the public memory of the 1989 events.

Fu believes preserving that memory and continuing the advocacy for Hong Kong's democratic values is a moral duty. “I feel like I’ve been placed in this era for a reason,” he said. “If I don’t take action—even if it seems futile or risky—who will? I’ll keep pushing forward as long as I can.”

The Tiananmen massacre, which occurred on June 4, 1989, saw Chinese tanks roll into Beijing’s central square to forcibly disperse student-led protests calling for democracy, transparency, and reform. Although the exact death toll has never been officially disclosed, independent estimates and eyewitness accounts suggest that the number of fatalities could be in the thousands.

In China, any public mention or remembrance of the crackdown is strictly banned. The Communist Party continues to label the protests as a "counter-revolutionary rebellion," maintaining an iron grip on historical narratives. Fu’s efforts in Taiwan not only challenge that enforced silence but also represent a powerful act of resistance—one that keeps the memory of Tiananmen alive far from the square itself.