Silence and heavy state security in China on anniversary of Tiananmen crackdown

BEIJING, China (AP) — Security in Beijing is tight around Tiananmen Square on Tuesday as China marks 35 years since the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests that killed hundreds, if not thousands. Police checkpoints and rows of police vehicles were seen along major roads, while hundreds of tourists lined the streets leading to gates to enter Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. China has long quashed any memory of the killings, when the Chinese government ordered in the army to end the months-long protests and uphold Communist rule. An estimated 180,000 troops and armed police rolled in with tanks and armored vehicles, and fired into crowds as they pushed toward Tiananmen Square. The death toll remains unknown to this day.