Beijing Authorities Clamp Down Tiananmen Anniversary Remembrance

Chinese police are deployed at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, 03 June 2014.

Chinese authorities have been taking serious measures against the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

On the night of June 3 into June 4, 1989, hardliners in the ruling Communist Party ordered the military crackdown on Beijing's main square after weeks of student demonstrations and occupation. This led to the killing of hundreds of civilians on the streets of the Chinese capital.

Dozens of police and security forces have surrounded the square on Wednesday to ensure that no memorial ceremonies can take place, the BBC reported.

In the weeks and months preceding the anniversary, political repression and arrests of public figures were used as measures against opening the debate on what happened at Tiananmen. According to Amnesty International, 66 people have been detained or questioned arbitrarily.

Over the years, the ruling Communist Party has put much effort into silencing critics of the regime and presented the Tiananmen events as a crackdown on counter-revolutionaries who posed a danger to the national security.

Although there will be no official remembrance ceremonies in China, thousands are expected to gather in Hong Kong and Taiwan to mark the anniversary.

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