The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 were a series of pro-democracy demonstrations that took place in and around Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China. The protests began on April 15, 1989 in response to the death of former Communist Party General Secretary Hu Yaobang, who had been removed from his post in 1987 in the wake of student protests.

The protests quickly gained momentum and over the next several weeks, students and citizens from all walks of life gathered in Tiananmen Square to demonstrate for greater freedom of speech, press and assembly, an end to government corruption, and an end to the one-party rule of the Communist Party. On May 19, 1989, the Chinese government declared martial law in Beijing and troops were sent to the city to disperse the protesters.

On June 3 and 4, 1989, the Chinese army violently crushed the protests, killing hundreds of protestors and injuring thousands more. In the aftermath of the violence, the Chinese government imposed a series of restrictions on civil liberties and human rights, including a ban on public gatherings and protests, increased censorship of the media, and increased surveillance of citizens.

The Tiananmen Square protests remain one of the most potent symbols of pro-democracy activism in China and its legacy continues to shape the country’s political landscape today.