A welcome guest

We knew she was coming. With its usual double-speak and prevarication, we began receiving messages from the Chinese University administration. The first was as follows:

To: Council Members, Colleagues, Students and Alumni: The Chinese University of Hong Kong issued a mass email yesterday to affirm the University's principle of political neutrality and for this reason could not accede to the request of the CUHK Student Union (CUSU) to permanently display the statue of the 'Goddess of Democracy' and other related exhibits on the University campus. Meanwhile, the University Dean of Students has been in close liaison with the President of CUSU. The University is informed that the CUSU plans to organize an event to commemorate the 'June 4 incident', and wishes to mount a related exhibit at the Cultural Square of the campus for a limited period. The University will continue to maintain close communication with the President of CUSU to discuss the appropriate arrangements for such activity.

Around 11pm on Friday June 4th, I noticed a crowd gathering at the university opposite the University (MTR) Station. Orderly but exuberant with expectation, they chanted, sang and were addressed by various speakers. At 12.30am, a truck arrived with the statue of the Goddess of Democracy, and the crowd, which had swelled to around 3,000, became delirious. I was happy to be present at this historic moment.

She stand proudly at the entrance to the Chinese University, a tribute to the courage and resilience of our students. How symbolic of our times! What a beautiful work of art!