Why did the Tiananmen Square protests occur?

The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 were a series of pro-democracy protests in Beijing, China, which were eventually suppressed by the Chinese government. The protests, led mainly by students, lasted for several weeks, and were fueled by a variety of grievances, including inflation, corruption, and a desire for more political freedom.

The immediate trigger for the protests was the death of Hu Yaobang, a former Communist Party official who was seen as sympathetic to the student protesters. Hu had been removed from office by hardliners in the government, and his death in April 1989 brought thousands of students to Tiananmen Square to mourn him and to demand political reform.

As the protests grew, the government became increasingly concerned about the potential for unrest and instability. On June 4, 1989, the government declared martial law and sent troops and tanks into Beijing to clear the protesters from Tiananmen Square. The crackdown was brutal, with many protesters killed and injured, and it marked the end of the pro-democracy movement in China.