Closed is today the largest square in the world, the Tiananmen located in the heart of the Chinese capital, Beijing.

The reason, the strict measures taken by the government, fearing disturbances as today 35 years ago the bloody student protest took place with the main demand for political freedom.

The Tiananmen Square Massacre went down in history not only for the hundreds of dead from the invading soldiers but also for the photo of a young protester defying the tanks and stepping in front of them.

File photo dated June 5, 1989. Chinese troops and tanks gather in Beijing, a day after a military crackdown ended a seven-week pro-democracy demonstration in Tiananmen Square. Hundreds were killed in the early hours of June 4. (AP Photo/Jeff Widener)

The measures are strict, both in Beijing and Hong Kong. In fact, the police in Hong Kong last night arrested an artist just for forming “8964” in the air with his hand, a reference to the date of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

The artist, Sanmu Chen, was standing outside Causeway Bay station, surrounded by media when he made the apparent tribute to the massacre. He also imitated pouring wine on the ground, according to a Chinese tradition that mourns the dead.

Police soon arrived and took him to a police bus. A Hong Kong police spokesman told the Guardian they had received a report of a man “causing a disturbance”. He said he was taken to the police station for questioning but was later released “unconditionally”.

Teniamen is closed

Today, Tuesday, Beijing’s Tiananmen Square is closed. A notice on the ticketing website said bookings to visit the area have been suspended for the day and previously booked tickets could be returned for a refund. A resident told Reuters that the square’s main thoroughfare, Chang’an Avenue, was closed to cyclists and pedestrians.

The June 4 date was not reported in Chinese state media, but some English-language China-based accounts on X on Tuesday sought to spread claims that reports of the massacre were Western misinformation. Both X and the June 4, 1989 discussion are banned within China

“Forbidden” commemorations

Diaspora groups have planned commemorations around the world, including in the UK, Australia, the US and Taiwan. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday honored “students and citizens who bravely marched for change.”

On Monday, human rights groups said Hong Kong and Chinese authorities had arrested or placed under surveillance several dissidents.

The Hong Kong Police arrested 8 people under a new national security law in relation to allegations that they had posted riotous messages from the “sensitive date”.

For three decades, the largest Tiananmen commemoration has been held in Hong Kong, but under a strict crackdown by the city’s government against the pro-democracy movement, it has also been banned. This week, two Hong Kong lawmakers said it was still legal for people to mark the date privately in their homes.

Regina Ip, a pro-Beijing lawmaker, told the Hong Kong Free Press that it was “time” to stop public celebrations because some people had “exploited the people’s feelings and weaponized the June 4 commemorations” for to incite hatred against the Chinese government, I don’t think a crime is being committed.”