The incident happened in 1989 following the death of Hu Yaobang, a former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) who tried to introduce reforms in the country.
He was ousted as general secretary in 1987, with his death two years later sparking discontent among workers and students, who protested at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
The Communist government initiated martial law to end the protests on June 4.
Official statistics from the Chinese authorities state that 241 people died in the suppression of the protests, which included 36 college students and dozens of soldiers and security personnel.
The 38th anniversary of the massacre was marked with a service at Reading Minster on Saturday, May 30.
Since the CCP imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong, public June 4 commemorations can no longer be held there.
However, Hong Kongers in the United Kingdom have not given up publicly commemorating this historic struggle for freedom and democracy and continue to organise commemorative events across the country.
In recent weeks, Hong Kong pro-democracy groups throughout the UK have held or will hold memorial events in different cities and towns.
In Reading, more than 200 residents from across the country attended the vigil, organised by a Hong Kong pro-democracy group based in Wokingham and Reading.
MPs, including Clive Jones, the Liberal Democrat MP for Wokingham together with more than 10 borough councillors from various local authorities and political parties, attended the event as invited guests.
The group hopes the event will raise greater awareness among the British public.
Andy NG Siu-hong, a participant in the Hong Kong pro-democracy group, former Hong Kong district councillor who was forced to leave Hong Kong for safety reasons, and now a Liberal Democrat borough councillor in Wokingham, spoke at the vigil.
He will also speak at a forthcoming commemoration in Sutton, London on Thursday, June 4.
Cllr NG Siu-hong (Liberal Democrats, Maiden Erlegh & Whitegates) said: “We will not give up commemorating this movement against authoritarianism.
“Democracy and human rights are universal values that we all share.
“From Reading to Sutton, from councils to Parliament, we must continue to pay attention to the CCP’s suppression of democracy and human rights, both inside and outside its borders. We must continue to speak out!”
Mr Jones added: “Thirty-seven years ago, thousands of people standing up for democracy in Tiananmen Square lost their lives at the hands of the Chinese Government.
“The exact number of lives lost has been deliberately censored by the Chinese Government, as have discussions across social media and public life in China. However, we expect this number to be in the thousands.
“This month, we honour the lives, memory and courage of those who stood up for democratic values.
“I was proud support those directly affected by the events of Tiananmen Square, the wider Hong Kong community, and local councillors such as cllr Ng Siu-hong at a vigil commemorating those who lost their lives.
“Since becoming the MP for Wokingham, I have worked closely with local Hong Kong communities to ensure their voices are heard in Westminster and that the issues affecting them are not forgotten.
“It was a privilege to take part in this important commemoration. I will continue to be a vocal advocate for Hong Kongers and all those who deserve the right to live safely and freely with their families in the UK.”