May 21st, 1989, the day after martial law was declared in Beijing, an event completely unprecedented in the history of Hong Kong happened: A million people marched.

In 1989, the population of Hong Kong was about 6 million people. That means that one out of every six Hong Kong citizens had taken to the streets. In terms of both the absolute number of people participating, and the proportion of the population, this was a historic record. It was also a milestone in Hong Kong people's opposition to autocratic power. It was also on May 21st that the leftist "Wen Wei Po" newspaper's editorials page carried only the words "Heart-Felt Grief and Lament", printed in large black characters, to protest the Beijing government's declaration of martial law. It was also during the march assembly that the formation of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (the Alliance) was announced, with Szeto Wah serving as founding chairman. Every year after that, the Candlelight Vigil has been held in Victoria Park, becoming the largest continuing June 4th memorial within China's national boundaries.

Lee Cheuk-yan, one of the founders of the Alliance and major participant in the Hong Kong workers' movement, described how Hong Kong people felt at the time: "We are actually from China; many of us originally came to Hong Kong to flee the Communist Party's rule. Those of us in our 40s have backgrounds in the country (and contacts in the Mainland). We hope to see democracy and freedom in China, because only if China has democracy and freedom will Hong Kong be truly assured. If we are to maintain our way of life, our society, every Hong Kong person is clear: If China becomes democratic, our fear will be gone, and we will no longer be afraid of the Communist Party's rule."