[2] In Hong Kong, the anniversary was commemorated in the backdrop of the 2010 Hong Kong by-election, the impending LegCo vote on the reform proposals made as a result of Consultation Document on the Methods for Selecting the chief executive and for Forming the LegCo in 2012, and the leak onto the internet of The Critical Moment – Li Peng Diaries, supposedly an insider's account of the top echelons of Chinese politics leading up to the fateful crackdown in 1989, written by the former Chinese Premier.

Attempts to stage public events and protests commemorating the 21st anniversary in Beijing's Tiananmen Square have been largely thwarted by Chinese authorities, activists said.

[4] However, under pretext of International Children's Day, Southern Metropolis Daily put up on 1 June a cartoon of a child drawing image hugely resembling the iconic Tank Man photograph by Jeff Widener on a blackboard which was later taken down, but not before it had circulated on the Internet.

[12] The Chinese University of Hong Kong also became embroiled in controversy when they denied a request by students to house the democracy goddess statue permanently on its campus.

[12] Students complained that outgoing vice-chancellor Lawrence Lau, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was 'too establishment'.

[19] As in previous years, Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho tabled a motion calling for the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre not to be forgotten and the 1989 pro-democracy movement be vindicated.

Public anger over the seizures, and fears of political repression, were widely cited as directly inciting a record 150,000 participants (or 113,000 according to the police) to attend the 6-4 vigil.

Lee Cheuk-yan, vice-chairman of the Alliance, said "...the basic number who insist on attending the vigil every year has increased rapidly, and 60 to 70 per cent of participants are now young people aged below 30," who inform themselves by other than traditional means.

[22] Ming Pao polled 336 people attending the candlelight vigil; 207 of them thought freedom to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre was at risk.

Commentator Frank Ching said that there was an erosion of trust the widely publicised police seizure in Times Square and the controversy at the Chinese University contributed.

[23] Former legislator Albert Cheng said the main reason for the unexpectedly high turnout was more general public dissatisfaction with the government without a proper mandate, although the actions of the HK Police and Chinese University only added fuel to the fire.