Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown occurred in 1989. The protests began in April 1989, centered on Tiananmen Square in Beijing, and were largely led by students and other demonstrators calling for political reform, greater freedoms, and addressing issues like corruption. The Chinese government declared martial law, and on June 3–4, 1989, the military moved in to clear the square, resulting in a violent crackdown with a significant number of deaths and injuries among protesters and bystanders—though the exact death toll remains disputed and has never been officially confirmed, with estimates ranging from several hundred to possibly thousands.

The event remains one of the most politically sensitive topics in China, where it is heavily censored, and June 4th is commemorated internationally as an anniversary of the crackdown.