Danish sculptor writes to Hong Kong court asking for return of Tiananmen crackdown monument

A Danish sculptor has written to a Hong Kong court asking for the return of his statue commemorating China’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, following the national security conviction of a group behind the city’s annual vigil mourning the incident. The Pillar of Shame. File photo: May James/HKFP. Jens Galschiøt, the artist behind the Pillar of Shame monument that stood on the University of Hong Kong (HKU) campus for more than two decades before it was taken down in 2021, sent a letter to the High Court last Friday, claiming ownership of the eight-metre-tall sculpture and demanding its return. The letter – seen by HKFP – came after the court convicted two Tiananmen vigil activists, Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, as well as the group they once led, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, of inciting subversion under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Following the convictions, prosecutors asked the court to order the confiscation of the Pillar of Shame, which was among the exhibits cited in the case. A decision is yet to be made. In his letter, Galschiøt said he is the owner of the Pillar of Shame, which he lent to the Alliance in 1997 for permanent display in Hong Kong. “I claim the sculpture and respectfully request that it be returned to me. I do not consent to its confiscation, destruction, disposal, or transfer to any other person or institution,” the artist wrote. Return to Denmark Galschiøt said he will not personally travel to Hong Kong to collect his work and will instead appoint professional art handlers and transport specialists to bring the sculpture back to Denmark. The sculpture is a “large, valuable and fragile work of art,” he said, adding that transportation should be done by qualified professionals. They will cooperate with Hong Kong authorities to arrange the shipment, he said. Jens Galschiøt. File photo: Jens Galschiøt. “For the avoidance of doubt, the fact that I will not travel personally to Hong Kong does not mean that I have abandoned the sculpture, relinquished ownership, or do not wish to receive it,” he said. “To the contrary, by this letter I formally claim the [sculpture] and request its return,” he added. The artist also sent a letter to HKU on the same day, claiming ownership of the sculpture and demanding its return. The Pillar of Shame was an iconic tribute to the victims of the 1989 crackdown, when Beijing sent troops to disperse pro-democracy protesters around Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds and perhaps thousands. Members of the University of Hong Kong students’ union stand in front of the Pillar of Shame. File photo: Supplied. The sculpture was torn down in the middle of the night in December 2021, with HKU citing safety reasons and “legal risks.” It has since been locked inside a steel container stored outside HKU’s Kadoorie Centre, according to Galschiøt. Galschiøt has been calling for his artwork’s return since its removal, and in 2023 he threatened to take legal action against HKU to retrieve the statue. The Alliance’s Chow and Lee pleaded not guilty to their national security charges and were convicted in late August following a trial. A third defendant, former lawmaker Albert Ho, pleaded guilty in January. They face up to 10 years behind bars for inciting subversion. Sentencing is expected within two weeks. The Alliance disbanded in 2021, after authorities banned the vigil for two years citing Covid-19 restrictions and arrested its leadership on national security allegations. Safeguard press freedom; keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps Make a one-off donation. Founded in 2015, Hong Kong Free Press is an impartial, non-profit, award-winning English-language newspaper. Run by journalists, backed by readers and 100% independent, HKFP is governed by a public Code of Ethics. If there are uncertainties relating to safety or security, we may use an "HKFP Staff" byline. More on our Ethics & Policies. More by Hong Kong Free Press