THE TIANANMEN SQUARE PROTESTS, KNOWN IN CHINESE AS THE JUNE FOURTH INCIDENT[1][2] (CHINESE: 六四事件; PINYIN: LIÙSÌ SHÌJIÀN), WERE STUDENT-LED DEMONSTRATIONS HELD IN TIANANMEN SQUARE, BEIJING DURING 1989. IN WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE, OR IN CHINESE THE JUNE FOURTH CLEARING (CHINESE: 六四清场; PINYIN: LIÙSÌ QĪNGCHǍNG) OR JUNE FOURTH MASSACRE (CHINESE: 六四屠杀; PINYIN: LIÙSÌ TÚSHĀ), TROOPS ARMED WITH ASSAULT RIFLES AND ACCOMPANIED BY TANKS FIRED AT THE DEMONSTRATORS AND THOSE TRYING TO BLOCK THE MILITARY'S ADVANCE INTO TIANANMEN SQUARE. THE PROTESTS STARTED ON 15 APRIL AND WERE FORCIBLY SUPPRESSED ON 4 JUNE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT DECLARED MARTIAL LAW AND SENT THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY TO OCCUPY PARTS OF CENTRAL BEIJING. ESTIMATES OF THE DEATH TOLL VARY FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED TO SEVERAL THOUSAND, WITH THOUSANDS MORE WOUNDED.[3][4][5][6][7][8] THE POPULAR NATIONAL MOVEMENT INSPIRED BY THE BEIJING PROTESTS IS SOMETIMES CALLED THE '89 DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT (CHINESE: 八九民运; PINYIN: BĀJIǓ MÍNYÙN) OR THE TIANANMEN SQUARE INCIDENT (CHINESE: 天安门事件; PINYIN: TIĀN'ĀNMÉN SHÌJIÀN).
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