From the Archives: Remembering the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown

In 1989, peaceful protests demanding more freedom and democracy were held in cities across China. But after six weeks of government tolerance, on June 3 and 4, Chinese tanks and soldiers fired on unarmed civilians in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, killing hundreds. Some estimates say thousands.

Reactions in the Chinese-American community in San Diego varied, but many said it was only a matter of time before China’s Communist regime resorted to brute force and gunfire.

From The San Diego Union, Monday, June 5, 1989:

Crisis alarms Chinese-Americans here

‘It was inevitable,’ seems to be feeling of local residents

By Teri Sforza, Staff Writer

Gruesome pictures of Chinese students drenched in their own blood repulsed people all over the world yesterday -- but it was just a matter of time until the streets ran red, local Chinese-Americans said.

“I fully predicted it would end up like this -- I could see it coming,” said Banny Hom, the China-born proprietor of the local Chinese Martial Arts Institute. “There is no way it was going to be easy.”

“It was inevitable, the shooting and the government crackdown on the protesters,” said Rev. Steve Leong, associate minister with the Chinese Community Church and a second-generation Chinese-American. “I never thought in my lifetime that China would ever open its door to the West. But you see what is happening....”

Thousands of soldiers, tanks and armored cars poured into Beijng’s Tiananmen Square yesterday, killing hundreds of pro-democracy protesters who had occupied the square since mid-April.

Some view the deadly crackdown as a sure sign of the government’s weakness and desperation. The fight, they believe, is far from over.

“I think the people are just starving for democracy — the army has probably just won a temporary victory,” said Peter Hwang, staff writer for the Chinese Daily News (World Journal) in San Diego.

“I don’t think the students that easily give up,” said a man who asked not to be identified. “Especially since they are well-educated people who fight for what is right. And I don’t think they are the only people in China that are feeling the same way. The time for change is now, and the people know it. This may fuel the movement.”

Locally, it did just that. More than 200 Chinese students from UCSD joined hundreds of others in a protest march at the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles yesterday.

But some people think student overzealousness is the key cause of yesterday’s bloodshed.

“I think the Chinese government is trying to change, trying to slowly get in line with the Western world. But they can’t have anarchy,” said Rev. Leong. “The students made a lot of gains, but should have made their point and gone back.”

Lily Trieu of the Chinese Garden Restaurant feels bad for the students, but doesn’t understand why they tried to force the government to change “just like that.”

“It takes time to do that,” she said. “I heard that the president asked ‘Give us time,’ but the students want it right away. I feel bad for both.”