1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre
Protests led by students and workers, known in China as the June Fourth Incident, were held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing from 15 April to 4 June 1989. The protests were initiated by the death of former pro-reform Communist Party general secretary Hu Yaobang in April 1989, amid grievances over inflation, corruption, and the dismantling of the "iron rice bowl". After weeks of failed attempts to reach a peaceful resolution, the Chinese government declared martial law and deployed troops to occupy the square on the night of 3 June in what is called the Tiananmen Square massacre.