Taiwanese singer urges Tiananmen remembrance at prestigous awards show

Taiwanese singer and activist Panai urged the public not to forget the events of Tiananmen Square at the Golden Melody Awards, known as the Grammys of the Chinese-speaking world, on Saturday.

The 1989 incident, sometimes referred to as the Tiananmen Square massacre, saw the deaths of an estimated thousands as the Chinese government cracked down on pro-democracy protests. Panai, who was speaking at the awards’ 35th year — nearly a month after the massacre marked its own 35th anniversary — emphasized the importance of democracy and freedom of speech. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te later acknowledged Panai’s comments on social media, vowing to “continue to protect and defend the freedom of all musicians to create.”