Did the Tiananmen Square protests and crackdown happen in 1989?

Yes, the Tiananmen Square protests and the subsequent military crackdown took place in 1989.

The protests began in mid-April 1989, sparked by the death of former Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang, a reformer who had been popular among students. The movement quickly grew into large-scale demonstrations calling for democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and government accountability.

The protests culminated on the night of June 3 and the morning of June 4, 1989, when the Chinese government declared martial law and sent in the military (the People's Liberation Army) with tanks and troops to forcibly clear Tiananmen Square, resulting in a significant loss of life.