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Beijing falls silent as tight security surrounds Tiananmen Square anniversary Beijing silent as tight security surrounds Tiananmen Square anniversary
(about 5 hours later)
China has been marking 30 years since its deadly crackdown on student demonstrators in Beijing with silence and extra security measures. Security forces have been deployed throughout Tiananmen Square in Beijing, 30 years on from a deadly crackdown on student demonstrators in the city that marked one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history.
The government has worked to suppress discussion of one of the darkest chapters in its history, when Beijing deployed tanks and troops to put down a countrywide movement calling for democratic reforms. Plainclothes and uniformed police patrolled the perimeter of the square, where crowds of tourists waited for security personnel to scan their ID cards. An armoured police car was stationed along a street leading to the square. Asked about the extra checks, a police officer said: “Today is a bit special.”
On Tuesday, security forces were deployed throughout Tiananmen Square in Beijing, where on the evening of 3 June through the morning of 4 June, 1989, hundreds if not thousands of people were killed. Foreign journalists were not allowed to enter the square and plainclothes police blocked reporters from taking photos by opening umbrellas in front of them. Major foreign news sites that had not been previously blocked in China, including CNN, Reuters, and Bloomberg, could not be accessed on Tuesday.
Crowds of tourists were waiting to pass through security to have their ID card scanned and bags checked. Plainclothes and uniformed police patrolled the perimeter of the area. An armoured police car was stationed along a street leading to the square. Asked about the extra checks, a police officer said: “Today is a bit special.” On 3 June through the morning of 4 June 1989, the Chinese government deployed the military to put down almost two months of student-led protests that called for political reforms.
Foreign journalists were not allowed to enter the square. Plainclothes police blocked reporters from taking photos by opening umbrellas in front of them. Tanks and troops converged on Tiananmen Square, shooting and in some cases crushing civilians. Estimates for the death toll range from a few hundreds to 3,000. A secret UK diplomatic cable released in 2017 put the figure at at least 10,000.
China has issued few statements about the Tiananmen crackdown, which is largely omitted from history books. Official media on Tuesday made no mention of the anniversary, instead featuring articles about Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s promotion of garbage sorting, an environmental campaign, and calls to “remember the mission” of the Chinese Communist party. China has issued few statements about the Tiananmen crackdown, which is largely omitted from history books. Official media on Tuesday made no mention of the anniversary, instead featuring articles about the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s promotion of refuse sorting, an environmental campaign, and calls to “remember the mission” of the Chinese Communist party.
In the spring of 1989, after years of increased openness, authorities were confronted with students movements across China, calling democratic reforms, individual freedoms, ending government corruption, and other demands. When pushed to comment, officials justify the government’s use of force as necessary for the country’s stability and economic development. China’s defence minister, Wei Fenghe, on Sunday defended the crackdown as the “correct” policy to end “political turbulence” at the time.
After almost two months of protests and division within the senior leadership, officials decided to use force to clear the protests in Tiananmen Square, the centre of the movement. Estimates for the death toll range from a few hundreds to 3,000. A secret UK diplomatic cable released in 2017 put the figure at at least 10,000. On Monday, the state-run tabloid Global Times praised the government’s response, calling it a “vaccination” for Chinese society, providing “immunity against any major political turmoil in the future”.
When pushed to comment, officials justify the government’s use of force as necessary for the country’s stability and development. The Chinese economy grew at breakneck speed in the 1990s and 2000s. China’s defence minister, Wei Fenghe on Sunday defended the crackdown as the “correct” policy to end “political turbulence” at the time. Before the anniversary, other countries called for China to acknowledge its use of violence against unarmed citizens. The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said China must “make a full public accounting of those killed or missing”. China on Tuesday called those remarks “an affront to the Chinese people”.
'Sacred day': Chinese remember Tiananmen killings by fasting'Sacred day': Chinese remember Tiananmen killings by fasting
On Monday, the state-run tabloid Global Times praised the government’s response, calling it a “vaccination” for Chinese society providing “immunity against any major political turmoil in the future”. The EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, reiterated the European council’s statement from 1989, describing the government’s actions as a “brutal repression”. She called on authorities to respect the legal rights of those detained in connection with the 1989 protests as well as those who have tried to commemorate them.
Ahead of the anniversary other countries called for China to confront this episode. US secretary of state Mike Pompeo said China must “make a full public accounting of those killed or missing”. China has called Pompeo’s remarks “an affront to the Chinese people.” Observers say the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown was a turning point for the country, marking the Chinese leadership’s bend towards authoritarianism. In the spring of 1989, after years of increased openness, authorities were confronted with student movements in more than 300 cities, calling for reforms, an end to government corruption, a free press, and other demands.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini reiterated the EU council’s statement from 1989, describing the government’s actions as a “brutal repression”. She called on authorities to respect the legal rights of those detained in connection with the 1989 protests as well as those who have tried to commemorate them. After weeks of division within the senior leadership, conservative voices within the government won out, opting to use force to clear the centre of the movement, the protests in Tiananmen Square. Thousands were arrested after the crackdown and the government launched a propaganda drive to recast the episode as the successful “quelling of a counter-revolutionary rebellion”.
Observers say the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown was a turning point for the country, marking the Chinese leadership’s bend towards authoritarianism. Under Xi, Chinese civil society has come under even more pressure. Since then, the party leadership has focused on expanding and opening its economy, while tightening the space available to civil society. After Xi came to power in 2012, Chinese activists and human rights advocates have come under even more pressure and censorship has increased.
Dozens of activists have been detained in the lead up to the anniversary and censorship appears to have ramped up. Restrictions were placed on the “Tiananmen mothers” a group of elderly women whose sons were killed. In the lead-up to the 4 June anniversary, dozens of activists have been detained and censorship appears to have increased. Restrictions were placed on the “Tiananmen mothers”, a group of elderly women whose sons were killed. Many activists based in China are “travelled” outside of their cities and kept under close watch by minders.
On Tuesday, the search terms “Tiananmen” and “6,4,30” in reference to the 30 year anniversary, were blocked on the microblog Weibo. On Wechat, users could not change their usernames. On Tuesday, the search terms “Tiananmen” and “6,4,30” in reference to the 30-year anniversary, were blocked on the microblog Weibo. On WeChat, users could not change their usernames.
Activists in China said they planned to fast for the day, barred from being able to commemorate the event in any public way. Gao Yu, a journalist who attended the protests in Beijing has been “traveled” away from the city and will be kept under close watch today by security minders. “I can only remember [the students] in my heart,” she said. Activists in China said they planned to fast for the day, barred from being able to commemorate the event in any public way or with others. “Even though we are scattered … we are united and together,” said one of the organisers, based in China, who asked not to be named for security reasons.
In neighbouring Hong Kong, activists are able to commemorate the event with an annual candlelight vigil attracting about 180,000 people. Gao Yu, a journalist who attended the protests in Beijing in 1989, said she would be kept under close watch all day by security. “I can only remember [the students] in my heart,” she said.
“The whole of China is silenced, and we have a window, or a loudspeaker for that in Hong Kong, to tell the world what happened,” said Chauk-Yan Lee, a former legislator who was in Beijing at the time of the crackdown. In neighbouring Hong Kong, activists are commemorating the event with an annual candlelight vigil attracting about 180,000 people. “The whole of China is silenced, and we have a window, or a loudspeaker for that in Hong Kong, to tell the world what happened,” said Lee Cheuk-yan, a former legislator who was in Beijing at the time of the crackdown.
“I heard the gunshots, and saw the tanks rolling in, the rickshaws taking injured people,” said Lee, who was a labour organiser in 1989. “The next day I went to the hospital. I saw bodies stacking up in side. It went from high hope to despair for me,” he said. “I heard the gunshots, and saw the tanks rolling in, the rickshaws taking injured people,” said Lee, who was a labour organiser in 1989. “When I came back from Beijing 20 years ago, people told me to make sure you tell the world the truth.”
“When I came back from Beijing 20 years ago, people told me to make sure you tell the world the truth,” he said. On Tuesday, activity around Tiananmen Square appeared normal. Tourists holding umbrellas to block the sun made their way to the main square. Groups of students followed their teachers in neat lines. Souvenir shops were open, selling memorial plates featuring Mao Zedong’s portrait.
On Tuesday, activity around Tiananmen Square appeared normal. Tourists holding umbrellas to block the sun made their way to the main square, a historical site. Groups of students followed their teachers in neat lines. Souvenir shops were open, selling memorial plates featuring Mao Zedong’s face. Despite the censorship, some Chinese citizens found ways to mark the day, posting poems, images, or songs. One user posted a photo of himself standing in front of a Mao portrait, which faces Tiananmen Square, in the early morning hours. “Tomb sweeping,” he wrote, a reference to a Chinese tradition of honouring the dead.
Despite the censorship, some Chinese citizens have found ways to mark the day, posting poems, images, or songs. One user posted a photo of himself standing in front of Mao Zedong’s portrait, which faces Tiananmen Square, in the early morning hours. “Tomb sweeping,” he wrote, a reference to a Chinese tradition of honouring the dead. Other users posted a 1933 essay by a famous Chinese writer, Lu Xun, remembering a group of young writers and activists who had previously been killed by government forces.
Others users posted an essay by famous Chinese writer, Lu Xun, in 1933, remembering a group of young writers and activists who had previously been killed by government forces. Users posted: “The night is long, the road is also long. It’s better I forget, not to mention it. But I know that even if it weren’t for me, there will always be someone who remembers them.” Users posted the quote: “The night is long, the road is also long. It is better I forget, not to mention it. But I know even if it weren’t for me, there would always be someone who remembers them.”
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