Unlike previous years, there was no chanting of slogans, the organizers agreeing to a silent march out of respect for those who died in the May 12 Sichuan earthquake.

Instead, marchers carried banners mourning those who died on both occasions.

Organizer, the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, claimed 990 people took part in the march from Victoria Park to Central but police put the figure at 600.

The equivalent figures for last year were 1,500 and 1,000.

Chinese University department of government and public administration senior instructor Ivan Choy Chi-keung said it is difficult to tell whether interest is waning.

He said the numbers who turn out for the candlelight vigil on June 4 will give a more accurate picture. Last year's vigil drew around 50,000 participants.

This year marks the 19th anniversary of the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing.

Alliance chairman Szeto Wah did not comment on yesterday's turnout, but insisted what happened in Sichuan should not stop anyone from reflecting on past wrongs and the new allegations of corruption about faulty school structures in Sichuan.

"Natural disasters cannot be prevented but man-made catastrophes can," Szeto said.

Among those taking part yesterday was Straits Times senior journalist Ching Cheong who was freed in February after being jailed in 2005 as a spy for Taiwan.

Ching said he was glad to take part in the march, noting journalists now had more freedom to report on the earthquake than in the past.