Part One:
One thing that really struck me was the size of these protests and how many were killed from it. In the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 nearly one million people were protesting in order to call for a more democratic government from Communist China. For about three weeks the protests were completely peaceful, however on June 4, 1989 Chinese troops made it to the square and began firing at the protesters. The death toll from this event ranges from a few hundred to a few thousand people; but an official report has never been released and as many as 10,000 people were arrested. This event if important in history because it shows the brutality that was enacted onto peaceful protesters. As well as a call to show that with protests like this the government needs to learn how to cooperate with its citizens and come to agreements instead of using violence and fear to stop them.
Part Two:
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| I chose this image because of the fact that the gruesome images from the Tienanmen Square events in 1989 are being published on a major magazine for all of the public to see the violent acts being acted on the Chinese people. By putting it on a magazine like Time many people will be informed on the issue and spark conversation. http://time.com/2822358/tiananmen-square-25th-anniversary/ |
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| This picture is powerful because it shows the clash between the Hong Kong police force and the student protesters. While the protests have mainly been quite and peaceful, with students organizing mass sit ins in the streets, the police forces have been firing out tear gas and spraying pepper spray if students get to close to a barricade. To combat their efforts the protesters have been wearing masks, goggles, saran wrap, and are using umbrellas to shield themselves from these attacks to keep protesting. http://nypost.com/2014/09/28/hong-kong-police-use-tear-gas-on-pro-democracy-protesters/ |
I agree that it was an important event in history because it shows that people are willing to put their lives on the line for their freedoms and i really love the picture with the umbrellas because it is such perfect way to create a barrier or wall to protect yourself from harm in a peaceful way.
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