Ai Weiwei fears 'Tiananmen' crackdown in Hong Kong

“I don’t think any prediction is too big,” the 61-year-old said in an interview with AFP in his Berlin studio.“In 1989, the whole world was watching and the tanks crushed the students, ... a peaceful demonstration.”

Ai, a long-time and outspoken government critic, says he has no illusions that Beijing values order above all else. The New York-trained artist had confronted authorities especially after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, charging that corruption and shoddily built state school buildings had heightened the death toll.

“As a victim of the Chinese authoritarian state, I have been secretly detained, I’ve been beaten, I have been put in jail, nobody knew where ... so what am I gonna say?” “Hong Kong students never experienced a situation like that,” Ai said. “The demonstrators, most of them are born since the 90s, they never knew Hong Kong would have this kind of situation.”

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Ai Weiwei fears 'Tiananmen' crackdown in Hong KongAi's bleak warning comes after two months of protests that have turned increasingly violent, and as Beijing has massed security forces nearby on the mainland in a show of force.
Source: ewnupdates - 🏆 30. / 53 Read more »

Chinese officials demand to examine phones of travellers from Hong KongThe checks add to signs Beijing is lifting efforts to control the flow of information on the Hong Kong protest amid fears it could inspire similar unrest in China
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »

Hong Kong tense as weekend of protests begins with teachers' rally in rainFollowing the escalation in violence during the past few days, the demonstrations this weekend will provide a litmus test as to whether the protest movement can retain the broad support that it has appeared to enjoy.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

Hong Kong tense as weekend of protests begins with teachers' rally in rainOver a thousand Hong Kong school teachers braved thunderstorms on Saturday to start a weekend of anti-government demonstrations that some activists fear could see tougher police tactics on the city's streets. Following the escalation in violence during the past few days, the demonstrations this weekend will provide a litmus test as to whether the protest movement can retain the broad support that it has appeared to enjoy.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »

Hong Kong teachers rally in thunderstorm at start of weekend of protestsThe teachers rally was approved by police and was peaceful.
Source: eNCA - 🏆 49. / 51 Read more »

Woman in Hong Kong protest video unfairly castigated | IOL NewsOPINION: We all know there is more than an element of truth in what the woman in the yellow dress said - and that’s perhaps why she’s being burnt at the Twitter stake, writes RitchKev.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »