The Laboratory

Typhoon Jangmi hit Tokyo on the night of 3 June 2026. More than 250 people came anyway — filling Scott Hall at Waseda Hoshi-en for a lecture and candlelight vigil marking the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre. A statement from Chow Hang-tung, written from her prison cell, was read aloud. She began a 37-hour hunger strike that same night.

A 12-day exhibition at Waseda's Scott Hall Gallery marking the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre — tracing the thirty-year public practice of June 4 commemoration in Hong Kong, and the ongoing trial of those who kept it alive. 550 visitors, 128 messages in 8 languages on the Memory Wall, and coverage across 22 media outlets.

A commemorative dinner marking the 185th anniversary of Hong Kong Possession Day, paired with a Cantopop singing competition celebrating the shared musical history of Hong Kong and Japan — held at Restaurant Alaska with views over Hibiya Park and the Tokyo skyline.

Following the Hong Kong court's conviction of Jimmy Lai, Lady Liberty Hong Kong joined cross-party members of the Japanese Parliamentary Human Rights Alliance at the House of Representatives to present an analysis of the 856-page judgment and call on the Japanese government to condemn the verdict and demand Lai's immediate release.

A public symposium in Nagoya examining Hong Kong's political transformation under the National Security Law and its implications for Japan — co-presented by Jasmine Assembly and Lady Liberty Hong Kong.

A public symposium on the reality and challenges of China's transnational repression, featuring speakers from the Uyghur, Tibetan, Southern Mongolian, and Hong Kong communities — co-organised by the Japan Uyghur Association with Lady Liberty Hong Kong as a cooperating organisation.

On the opening day of the final defense in Jimmy Lai's trial, Lady Liberty HK and Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V. called on supporters worldwide to cover their faces with his photo — symbolising 'I am him, he is me' — and demand his immediate release.

Lady Liberty Hong Kong participated in the 6th Multicultural Coexistence Photography Exhibition, presenting selected works from the 2nd Hong Kong Liberty Art Prize to over 500 visitors — alongside Uyghur and Tibetan exhibitors.

After Seven & i Holdings labelled Taiwan and Hong Kong as 'China (Taiwan)' and 'China (Hong Kong)' in a social media post, Lady Liberty Hong Kong launched a Change.org petition that gathered 11,633 signatures and prompted a corporate apology within one hour — followed by an in-person protest at Seven & i headquarters in Chiyoda-ku and flyer distribution at Nakano Station.

On the fifth anniversary of the Hong Kong National Security Law, Lady Liberty Hong Kong co-hosted a panel discussion with the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, bringing together Hong Kong artists and democracy advocates in exile to reflect on political repression and the role of international solidarity. The event included a screening of Love in the Time of Revolution.

On the eve of the fifth anniversary of Hong Kong's National Security Law, participants across 20 cities in 11 countries bound themselves in red rope and taped their mouths shut — holding signs that read 'Everything is Fine in Hong Kong.' An art concept by Kacey Wong.

Despite heavy rain, dozens gathered at the House of Representatives in Tokyo on the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre — arranging candles into '8964', projecting footage from Hong Kong's Victoria Park vigils, and standing in silence for those who died and those still imprisoned for keeping the memory alive.

A Tokyo screening of the Hong Kong protest documentary Rather Be Ashes than Dust (寧化飛灰), with director Alan Lau in attendance for a post-screening Q&A moderated by Professor Ako Tomoko of the University of Tokyo — held on the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.

A panel discussion on the human rights crises in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and their implications for Japan's future — co-presented by Lady Liberty Hong Kong and the Committee for China/North Korea Human Rights Issues, Saitama.

Five years after the Anti-Extradition Bill movement, the 2nd Hong Kong Liberty Art Prize brought together dozens of works by Hong Kong artists worldwide under the theme 'Symbols of Hong Kong' — centred on the keywords Diaspora and Liberation — for a three-day exhibition in Ebisu, Tokyo.

A three-day exhibition and symposium in Berlin marking ten years since the Umbrella Movement and five years since the 2019 anti-extradition protests, featuring the unveiling of Lady Liberty statues and panel discussions with activists, artists, and researchers.

Alric Lee met with independent House of Representatives member Jin Matsubara to exchange information on the Hong Kong primary election verdict and the Jimmy Lai case, and to discuss policy measures including barring entry to Japan for Hong Kong officials and judges involved in human rights violations. Prime Minister Ishiba had already responded in writing to Matsubara's formal parliamentary inquiry, expressing serious concern and committing to consult with allies.

Lady Liberty HK protested outside Josui Kaikan as the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office courted Japanese business federations — while 45 pro-democracy figures remain imprisoned under the National Security Law.

A participatory campaign inviting people to visit the sites and symbols of the 2019 protests across Hong Kong, photograph themselves there with a slogan, and share the images with #HiddenWavesHK — countering the government's 'back to normal' narrative and keeping the record of the movement visible to the world.

On the eve of the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, representatives of Tibetan, Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, Hong Kong, Taiwanese, and Chinese democracy communities gathered outside the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo — demanding an end to ethnic genocide, the restoration of Hong Kong's autonomy, and freedom and peace across Asia.

The first commercial theatrical release of Love in the Time of Revolution (因為愛所以革命) in Japan — opening at Uplink Kichijoji on August 30, 2024, with director Twinkle Ngan travelling from the UK for ten consecutive nights of post-screening talks. All screenings in the first week sold out; additional dates were added at both Kichijoji and Uplink Kyoto.

The Hong Kong Liberty Art Prize prizewinners exhibition came to Kinokuniya Bookstore Sapporo — bringing award-winning works by anonymous Hong Kong artists created after the National Security Law to Hokkaido, in co-presentation with Hokkaido University's East Asia Media Research Center and Flow HK.

On June 3, 2024, Lady Liberty Hong Kong hosted the 35th Anniversary Memorial of the Tiananmen Square Incident at the Members' Office Building of the House of Representatives in Tokyo.

On 23 March 2024, Hongkongers and supporters rallied at Shinjuku Station South Exit to oppose the rushed passage of Article 23 — Hong Kong's sweeping national security legislation that criminalises dissent and threatens fundamental freedoms.

The inaugural Hong Kong Liberty Art Prize brought its prize-winning works to Taipei for a ten-day exhibition themed 'Glory to…' — a direct protest against the Hong Kong government's ban on the protest anthem. Over 1,100 visitors attended.

The 2-metre Lady Liberty HK, created by German students, found her permanent home at Massif Central in Frankfurt. The unveiling drew Hongkongers, German parliament members, European Parliament members, and Taiwanese representatives.

Despite heavy rain, police restrictions on umbrellas, and a failing loudspeaker, 150 participants marched through Shibuya on the fourth anniversary of the Hong Kong protests — calling on Japan to stand against the tide of authoritarianism sweeping the region.

The head of Lady Liberty HK — the original statue that stood on Lion Rock in 2019 — was exhibited at Liebfrauenberg, Frankfurt on 10 June 2023, organized by Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.

As the Hong Kong government sought a court injunction to ban 'Glory to Hong Kong,' Lady Liberty Hong Kong called on diaspora communities worldwide to request radio stations to play the song — resulting in broadcasts on national radio in Australia, France, Denmark, Estonia, and more across six countries.

On the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, approximately 500 people gathered at Shinjuku Station South Exit for a candlelight vigil organised by young Chinese activists — with Lady Liberty HK in a supporting role, and a 3D-printed Pillar of Shame at the centre.

Toronto Rally Remembering Tiananmen Square, organized by the Toronto Association for Democracy in China. 28/05/2023. Toronto, Canada.

Hong Kong Week 2023 Exhibition: Discovering the Realities of Hong Kong. Held at the University of Tokyo's Komaba Campus, 17–20 May 2023. Free admission.

Two miniature Lady Liberty HK statues — 15cm and 7.5cm tall — were smuggled into documenta fifteen in Kassel, Germany, forming 'There's No Art Without Freedom 2': a guerrilla intervention at one of the world's most prestigious contemporary art exhibitions.

Lady Liberty HK joined the commemoration of the third anniversary of 6.12 — the day in 2019 when Hong Kong police first used force against protesters outside the Legislative Council, marking a turning point in the anti-extradition movement.

Hongkongers in Japan and supporters gathered in Shibuya, Tokyo on the third anniversary of 6.12, marching alongside 43 cities around the world. Approximately 200 people participated.

The 3D-printed Pillar of Shame produced by Lady Liberty HK appeared at the June 4th commemoration evening in Taipei — a realisation of the original goal: that the sculpture, once erased from Hong Kong, would spread across the world.

A candlelight commemoration marking the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, held at the South Exit of Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. Electronic candles were distributed on-site.

With Victoria Park's June 4 vigil blocked for the second consecutive year, Lady Liberty Hong Kong launched an Instagram AR filter placing the Lady Liberty statue in everyday environments worldwide — generating 120,000 views and 13,600 photos across six continents in a single day.

On the first anniversary of Lady Liberty's ascent to Lion Rock, twelve laser beams were projected from the summit — one for each of the twelve Hongkongers detained without legal representation in a Shenzhen detention centre. Solidarity actions lit up Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan.

A major Hong Kong protest art exhibition at FabCafe Tokyo, organised by Act with HK and DDDDD HK. Lady Liberty HK was exhibited alongside the head of the destroyed original statue, a protest art timeline, and a Lennon Wall installation.

A group exhibition on Hong Kong's protest movement, held at the Bopiliao Historical Block in Taipei. Lady Liberty HK contributed the lighting design. Organised by Hong Kong Outlanders, with Amnesty International Taiwan and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights.

Hong Kong's first exhibition dedicated to Lady Liberty HK — held at Openground in Sham Shui Po, showing the new statue, the destroyed original recovered from Lion Rock, and the story of the movement. The more we are suppressed, the more we must speak out.

Alongside the WE ARE NOT ___ Exhibition, Lady Liberty HK collaborated with four Hong Kong artists to create special edition mini statues for charity auction. The works raised HKD $163,888, with HKD $156,888 donated to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund.

Organised by the Lady Liberty HK team and funded by charity sale proceeds, the 21-day exhibition in Ginza brought 11 subtitled video clips and original artwork by Hong Kong artists to Tokyo — drawing coverage from Asahi Shimbun and NHK.

On New Year's Day 2020, a new 2-metre Lady Liberty HK appeared at HKUST — crowdfunded by 177 donors from 27 countries, built by a group of German students and collaborators in Hong Kong, and standing on a globe to symbolise the movement's international reach.

One night in October 2019, accompanied by journalist Malene Haakansson of Amnesty International Denmark, the Lady Liberty HK team climbed Lion Rock in the dead of night to recover the remains of the statue. The mission was documented in a feature published by Amnesty International Denmark.

Overnight on 13 October 2019, 26 people carried Lady Liberty HK up 495 metres to the summit of Lion Rock in thunder and rain — erecting her at dawn, where all of Hong Kong could see her. She was destroyed the following day. The memory was not.

When the government invoked emergency powers to ban face coverings at protests, Lady Liberty HK took to the streets — marching alongside protesters in Causeway Bay and Mong Kok on one of the most turbulent nights of the movement.

The Civil Human Rights Front's eighth major rally against the extradition bill, held on the fifth anniversary of the Umbrella Movement's teargas dispersal. Between 200,000 and 300,000 people attended at Tamar Park.

Six secondary school students organized the Firefly Rally at Edinburgh Place, Central — a peaceful platform for students to reaffirm the Five Demands and share their experiences. Over 500 people attended.

On 8 September 2019, an estimated 250,000 people gathered at Chater Garden for a prayer rally calling on the US Congress to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, before marching to the US Consulate.

The Social and Political Organizations Workers' Union held a rally at Chater Garden on 6 September 2019, protesting wrongful arrests and police violence against social workers and legislators' assistants. Lady Liberty HK stood at the venue. Around 23,000 people attended.

Lady Liberty HK made her debut at the Cultural Square of the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 31 August 2019. Crowdfunded by Lihkg users in a single day, the 4-metre statue became an immediate symbol of the movement.

Lady Liberty HK was exhibited at the Offenburg Freedom Festival — a major state event in Baden-Württemberg. The Salmen Museum subsequently chose to retain the statue for continued display, at the very site where Germany's foundational democratic demands were adopted in 1847.

Four 4.5cm Lady Liberty HK figurines, 3D-printed and smuggled into Art Basel Hong Kong 2021, placed at four locations across the venue — bringing Hongkongers' voices onto the international art stage.

The UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is an important international human rights mechanism. As a Hong Kong overseas advocacy organisation, Lady Liberty HK, together with the Japan Hong Kong Democracy Alliance, submitted a report to the UPR on the erosion of arts and cultural freedom in Hong Kong since 2018.