BBC Online :
China has tightened security and widened a clampdown on dissent, ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre on Wednesday. Lawyers, journalists and activists have been detained. Internet search terms related to the 1989 massacre and the protests have been blocked, and access on Google has reportedly been restricted. The protests were the biggest rally against Communist rule since the People’s Republic was founded in 1949.
Hundreds of thousands called for democratic reforms in a peaceful demonstration largely focused on a gathering in Tiananmen Square.
After weeks of protests, the authorities responded on 4 June 1989 with a massacre of hundreds in the streets of Beijing.
Analysts say repression for the 25th anniversary of the protests is much more intense than in previous years. The authorities began to round up and warn dissidents and activists weeks ago. In recent days, the official repression has stepped up, with the apparent detention of a Chinese-born Australian artist on Monday.
