China tightens access to Tiananmen Square on anniversary of 1989 protests

Associated Press |
China tightened access to Tiananmen Square in central Beijing on Sunday, the anniversary of the military suppression of 1989 pro-democracy protests that left a still unknown number of people dead. Discussions and commemorations are forbidden within the country. In Hong Kong, which had been the last Chinese-controlled territory to hold commemorations, eight people, including activists and artists, were detained on the eve of the anniversary of the crackdown, a move that underscored the city's shrinking room for freedom of expression. Another at least 23 were detained on suspicion of breaching public peace for further investigation. Discussion of the seven weeks of student-led protests and their violent resolution has long been suppressed in China and increasingly off-limits in Hong Kong since a sweeping national security law was imposed in June 2020. Throngs of tourists were seen visiting the iconic site, however, with hundreds standing in line to enter the square.(Associated Press) 