Skamstøtten i Hongkong 2021

Breaking news. The Pillar of Shame. NGO’s and Galschiot defeat the international law firm Mayer Brown- Press release issued from Jens Galschiøt's workshop 15/10 2021 at 7pm

Mayer Brown withdraws from collaboration with Hong Kong University.

Another victory for The Pillar of Shame in Hong Kong. In the first place we managed to postpone the deadline for the demolition of the monument, and now the international law firm Mayer Brown has not been able to withstand the international pressure and has capitulated.

According to the Washington Post, the American company Mayer Brown has withdrawn from the collaboration with Hong Kong University. They will no longer represent Hong Kong University, even though it is one of their good business associates that they have represented for years.

See: U.S. law firm Mayer Brown to cease work for Hong Kong University amid controversy over Tiananmen memorial removal - The Washington Post

US law firm Mayer Brown will no longer represent University of Hong Kong on removing Tiananmen Massacre statue - Hong Kong Free Press HKFP (hongkongfp.com)

They say that they will not comment further on the matter. But there is no doubt that they are under tremendous pressure from the fact that more than 29 non-profit organizations, Chinese exile groups, artists and influential groups in the United States have attacked them for having helped the Chinese government smash the sculpture The Pillar of Shame, which is the memorial to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in Beijing.

Also several congressmembers and i.a. Senator Lindsey O. Graham has joined the fight to get Mayer Brown to resign.

The Danish artist, Jens Galschiøt, who is the creator of the monument, says:

This is an example that it is worth raising your voice against injustice. It is very life-affirming that when thousands of ordinary people go together, you are able to crack an international law firm. A company that writes on the one hand on their website that they support human rights and on the other hand are helping to fight down democracy in Hong Kong by destroying the only memorial to the Tiananmen Square massacre that exists on Chinese soil. This is extreme hypocrisy. This hypocrisy has driven the pressure on Mayer Brown. The public simply will not accept that kind of double moral.

Following this victory over Mayer Brown, it will be almost impossible in the future for a Western law firms to represent and help the Chinese government and Hong Kong organization to suppress freedom of expression and human rights without suffering severe damage to their reputation and image.

Also, a supportive global press has participated in the pressure to defend freedom of expression in Hong Kong and the right of Hong Kong citizens to remember history.

Contact info:

Jens Galschiøt can be contacted on +4540447058

Contact the 29 non-profit organizations that have participated in the press:

1. Visual Artists Guild, Ann Lau, Chair
2. Humanitarian China, Zhou Fengsuo, President
3. Women’s Rights in China
4. Chinese Democratic Education Foundation, Fang Zheng
5. Hong Kong Affairs Association of Berkeley
6. Committee for US International Broadcasting, Ann Noonan, Executive Director
7. Women's Rights Without Frontiers, Reggie Littlejohn, Founder and President
8. Northern California Hong Kong Club
9. DC4HK - Washingtonians Supporting Hong Kong
10. SEArious For HKG
11. US Hongkongers Club, Bruce Lee, Chairman 
12. Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC)
13. Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement 
14. Hong Kong Committee in Norway
15. Hong Kongers in San Francisco Bay Area
16. Cornell Society for the Promotion of East Asian Liberty
17. Germany Stands with Hong Kong
18. Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.
19. Hong Kong Watch
20. Hong Kong Social Action Movements in Boston
21. Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)
22. NY4HK
23. Torontonian HongKongers Action Group
24. Canada-Hong Kong Link
25. Toronto Association for Democracy in China
26. Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles
27. Las Vegas Stands with Hong Kong (LV4HK)