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 pro-democracy demonstrations began in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in mid-April 1989, following the death of former Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang (who was seen as a reformist). They grew to involve hundreds of thousands (at peaks over a million in the broader area), calling for political reform, free speech, an end to corruption, and other changes. Martial law was declared in May, and on the night of June 3–4, 1989, the Chinese government sent in troops and tanks to clear the square and surrounding areas, resulting in a deadly crackdown (often called the Tiananmen Square Massacre or June Fourth Incident). Estimates of deaths vary widely (from hundreds to thousands of civilians), as the Chinese government has never released a full official toll and suppresses discussion of the events.[2]

This is extensively documented by contemporary reporting, eyewitness accounts, diplomatic records, and historical sources from outlets including History.com, AP, Britannica, CNN, and BBC.