Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown occurred in 1989 in Beijing, China.

The protests began in April 1989, largely led by students, intellectuals, and workers who gathered in Tiananmen Square. Participants raised a range of grievances and demands, including calls for political reform, greater freedom of press and speech, accountability for corruption, and other liberalizing measures. The demonstrations grew substantially over the following weeks, drawing large crowds and attracting international attention.

On June 3-4, 1989, the Chinese government declared martial law and sent military forces, including troops and tanks, to clear the square and surrounding areas. The crackdown resulted in a significant number of deaths and injuries, though the exact death toll remains disputed and unconfirmed, with estimates ranging widely from several hundred to possibly thousands.

This event remains a highly sensitive topic in China, where discussion, commemoration, and information about it are heavily censored and restricted. It's rarely discussed openly in Chinese media or education, and online references are typically blocked or removed. Outside China, June 4th is often marked by memorials, particularly in Hong Kong (though this has become more restricted in recent years) and among Chinese diaspora communities elsewhere.