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, largely initiated by students and intellectuals in Beijing calling for political reform, greater freedoms, and an end to corruption, following the death of reformist Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang. Demonstrations grew over the following weeks, spreading to other cities and drawing in workers and other citizens, with the central gathering point being Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

The situation culminated on the night of June 3–4, 1989, when the Chinese government declared martial law and sent in military troops and tanks to clear the square and suppress the demonstrations. The crackdown resulted in a significant, though still disputed, number of deaths—estimates vary widely, from several hundred to possibly thousands of people killed, with many more injured. The Chinese government has never released an official death toll, and the events remain heavily censored within China to this day, with public discussion, commemoration, and even searches related to the event restricted.