In the spring of 1989, pro-democracy protests developed in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, where students and others called for government accountability and freedom of the press, among other popular causes. Overnight on June 3rd and 4th—twenty-five years ago this Wednesday—the government enforced martial law, staging a bloody dispersal of the demonstrations, which killed between five hundred and twenty-five hundred people and initiated a new era of conservatism in the country. Here are photos from the protests and the crackdown.
Daily
Our flagship newsletter highlights the best of The New Yorker, including top stories, fiction, humor, and podcasts.
Our Columnists
Will Historic Job Growth Bring an End to the “Vibecession”?
The Labor Department’s March employment report shows the U.S. economy continuing to power ahead. Yet many voters’ perceptions remain stubbornly negative.
By John Cassidy
Goings On
Alex Garland and Park Chan-wook Reckon with America
Also: the Martha Graham Dance Company celebrates its centennial, Method Man & Redman play Terminal 5, “The People’s Joker” parodies the Batman universe, and more.
Portfolio
Columbia’s Campus in Crisis
Scenes of dissent and defiance at Columbia University, where scores of students have been arrested for participating in pro-Palestine protests.
Daily Comment
The War Games of Israel and Iran
While Netanyahu and the Islamic Republic exchange ballistic “messages,” the question of Palestine demands the moral and strategic courage of actual statesmen.
By David Remnick