Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and the subsequent military crackdown occurred in 1989.[1]

Student-led demonstrations began in April 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square (and spread elsewhere), initially mourning the death of reformist official Hu Yaobang and calling for democracy, free speech, an end to corruption, and other political/economic reforms. They grew to involve hundreds of thousands to over a million people at peak.[1][2]

Martial law was declared on May 20, 1989. On the night of June 3–4, 1989, the People’s Liberation Army advanced with troops, tanks, and armored vehicles to clear the square and surrounding areas, opening fire on protesters and bystanders. This is widely known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre or June Fourth Incident. Estimates of deaths vary (Chinese government figures around 200–300 civilians plus some soldiers; other estimates from hundreds to thousands), with many more injured or arrested.[3][4][5]

This is a well-documented historical event confirmed by contemporary reporting, eyewitness accounts, diplomatic cables, and sources including Britannica, History.com, BBC, Reuters, AP, Amnesty International, and others. The Chinese government heavily censors discussion of it domestically.