Massive police presence in Tiananmen Square discourages protests
June 5, 2009
www.state.gov
Tiananmen Square in Beijing was filled with police officers on Thursday, who were determined to prevent any gatherings in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters that led to the deaths of hundreds.
Visitors to the huge plaza in the centre of the Chinese capital were stopped by police at checkpoints and searched before they were allowed to proceed. Foreign TV crews and photographers were not allowed to enter the square.
Plainclothes police were there in force, along with uniformed officers, and seemed to outnumber visitors. White government vans could be seen lined up in front of the Mao Zedong mausoleum, facing Tiananmen Square.
On Internet chat sites, many people who wanted to remember the day suggested wearing white when visiting the site of the bloody end to the student-led movement. White is traditionally worn by the Chinese as a sign of mourning. On Thursday morning, there was no evidence of this occurring – nor were there any signs of protest.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on the Chinese government to publish the names of the people either missing or killed on that day, saying that it would help the country “heal”.
She issued a statement that said, in part: “A China that has made enormous progress economically and is emerging to take its rightful place in global leadership should examine openly the darker events of its past.”
Secretary Clinton urged authorities in China to release all those held in prison in connection with the June 4 events.
Thanks to www.nytimes.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.
www.state.gov
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