June 4: Tiananmen Square Protests (1989)
Prayer Idea
Pray for the people and government of China.
History Note
Hu Yaobang (1915-1989) was a Chinese politician. During the Cultural Revolution, he went in and out of favor with Mao Zedong. Hu helped the Communist Party implement some economic and political reforms in China during the 1980s.
After Hu died of a heart attack on April 15, 1989, people started to gather in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. In addition to mourning the loss of the leader, they began to advocate for continued reforms. The demonstrations in Beijing grew and spread to other cities.
Tiananmen Square remained a focal point for the protesters, who began a hunger strike there. The protests disrupted a visit by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on May 15.
On May 20, the Chinese government declared martial law in parts of Beijing and sent troops toward the center of the city. Civilians set up barricades to block the soldiers.
On the night of June 3, the military began using force to remove the protesters from Tiananmen Square. By June 4, the government had retaken control of the area. The Chinese government acknowledges that over 200 people died during the confrontation, though some estimates place the death toll in the thousands.
Though the mass of protesters were dispersed by June 4, there was a final confrontation on June 5. As tanks were leaving Tiananmen Square, a single person holding two shopping bags deliberately stood in front of them. The man delayed the tanks from continuing down the street for about three minutes, before being escorted away. Though he was photographed from a distance at the time, his identity remains unknown.
Communist governments have a history of attempting to erase the memory of people and events they consider dangerous or embarrassing. The Chinese government continues to suppress discussion or commemoration of the events in April and May of 1989, including censoring images and information available on the internet.
Tiananmen Square is home to public memorials and buildings including the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. This 2013 photo is by Haines / Shutterstock.com.
Learn More
James Kynge was a reporter in Beijing during the 1989 protests. This video includes interviews with other people connected to those events.
Please Note: There is footage of violence, including wounded people being carried away on carts.
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