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 April 1989 in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square (and spread elsewhere), sparked by the death of reformist official Hu Yaobang and calling for political reform, an end to corruption, greater freedoms, and other changes. They grew to involve hundreds of thousands to over a million people at their peak.[2]

Martial law was declared in May, and on the night of June 3–4, 1989, the Chinese military (People’s Liberation Army) advanced with troops, tanks, and armored vehicles to clear the square and surrounding areas, opening fire on protesters and civilians. This is widely known as the Tiananmen Square Massacre or June Fourth Incident. Estimates of deaths range from hundreds (Chinese government figures around 200+ civilians) to thousands, with many more injured and arrested; exact numbers remain disputed and are not officially fully disclosed by China.[3]

This is a well-documented historical event confirmed by contemporary reporting (e.g., from 1989), timelines from outlets like BBC and Reuters, encyclopedias such as Britannica, and human rights organizations. The Chinese government still heavily censors discussion of it domestically.