- Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot has asked Hong Kong authorities for immunity from a national security law so he can return his statue to Denmark
- The statue, called Pillar of Shame, was earlier loaned by Galschiot to a local civil society group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China
- In September, the university requested the alliance to remove the statue from its premises, after some of its members were accused of national security offences
HONG KONG: Jens Galschiot, the Danish sculptor who created a statue commemorating pro-democracy protesters killed during China’s Tiananmen Square crackdown, has asked Hong Kong authorities for immunity from a national security law so he can return his statue to Denmark.
The statue, called Pillar of Shame, was earlier loaned by Galschiot to a local civil society group, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. It depicts dozens of torn and twisted bodies and has been on display at the University of Hong Kong for more than two decades.
In September, the university requested the alliance to remove the statue from its premises, after some of its members were accused of national security offences.
In an open letter on Friday, Galschiot wrote, “I can understand from the press that the introduction of the new security legislation in Hong Kong means there is legal basis for arresting foreign nationals who engage in activities that criticise China.”
The statue’s removal “will lead to activities and media coverage that could be perceived as criticism of China. Therefore, I will have to get a guarantee that my employees and I will not be prosecuted,” he added.
Galschiot, who values the statue at around $1.4 million, said he was willing to take it back to Denmark, adding that cooperation from the university and city authorities for technical assistance, roadblocks and permits was also needed.
In 2020, Beijing implemented a strict national security law in Hong Kong to punish what it describes as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
The university, the government’s Security Bureau and the immigration department have not responded to comments about the statue.
The University of Hong Kong’s deadline for the alliance to remove the statue expired one month ago, adding that it was seeking legal advice on how to move forward.
