On the morning of June 4, the government sent armed troops to dissolve the demonstration in Tiananmen Square, killing and arresting activists. Communist Party leaders, however, saw the protests as a threat to their hold on power and the political system. The protests eventually spread to 400 cities across China. They called for respect for human rights and greater political participation amid the ambitious economic reforms spearhead by then-leader Deng Xiaoping.
For weeks, the protesters, led by students, stood in unprecedented defiance of the Communist regime.
In the spring of 1989, Chinese pro-democracy activists filled Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Please enable JavaScript for the best experience. Warning: This graphic requires JavaScript.
