On this day in 1989, an estimate of 100,000 students marched at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to honor the death of the Chinese Communist Party leader
On this day in 1989, an estimate of 100,000 students marched at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to honor the death of the Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang and to protest their discontentment with the pace of reform in China. In 1987, Hu was forced to resign as Party general secretary after his political opponents blamed him on the widespread student protests. On 15 April 1989, Hu died of a heart attack and student protesters supposed that his death was linked to his forced resignation. On 22 April, students gathered outside the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square for Hu's state funeral. They carried a petition and insisted on a meeting with Premier Li Peng. The government‘s rejection led to a general boycott of universities across the country and demands for democratic reforms. The number of protesters swelled to a million the following month and on 20 May, Premier Li Peng declared martial law. On 4 June, protesters were assaulted with tanks and rifles, killing...