Chen,Weimin the Creator of Tiananmen democracy statue Deported

The Hong Kong authorities refused entry Wednesday to a sculptor whose work — a large statue dedicated to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown — had been seized in the Chinese territory four days earlier, an opposition legislator said.
Chen Weiming was deported early Wednesday after arriving on a flight from Los Angeles late Tuesday, said opposition lawmaker James To, who met with Chen at the airport. To said the U.S.-based New Zealand national wanted to inspect his statue for possible damage.
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The deportation came after Hong Kong police seized Chen's "Goddess of Democracy" statue and his large carving depicting the June 1989 suppression of student protesters from a sidewalk on Saturday and arrested 13 activists protecting the two works of art. The activists were freed on bail later Saturday and police returned the two pieces on Tuesday.
"We are very annoyed. Why is Hong Kong denying him entry for political reasons? He is a very humble sculptor," To told The Associated Press in a phone interview.
Hong Kong's Immigration Department said it won't comment on individual cases.
Holly Warren, a spokeswoman for the New Zealand Consulate-General in Hong Kong, said she didn't have immediate comment.
On Wednesday, Hong Kong's pro-democracy legislators displayed miniature versions of the "Goddess of Democracy" statue on their desks as they proposed a motion urging Beijing to exonerate the 1989 student protesters, whom China still considers "counterrevolutionary" rioters. The motion was defeated, blocked by pro-Beijing legislators who control the chamber.
Opposition legislator Albert Ho accused the Chinese government of trying to water down memories of its brutal crackdown.
"How can it succeed? The history of the Tiananmen incident is deeply seared in the hearts of the Chinese people. The people will not forget," Ho said.
Chen's 21-foot (6.4-meter) tall "Goddess of Democracy" statue, which features a woman holding a torch, is based on a similar one that was displayed on Tiananmen Square during the 1989 protests. The original was toppled by tanks during the military eviction.
The recent actions by the Hong Kong government are alarming to local activists because they are wary of losing the right to stage the only open commemorative activities for the Tiananmen crackdown on Chinese soil. While the incident is still taboo on the mainland, former British colony Hong Kong is promised freedom of speech as part of its special political status under Chinese rule.
Officials have said they will allow an annual candlelight vigil to go ahead as scheduled on Friday. The vigil typically draws tens of thousands of people.