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Tiananmen Square: Then and now

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BEIJING, CHINA - APRIL 22: Several hundred of 200,000 pro-democracy student protesters face to face with policemen outside the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square 22 April 1989 in Beijing as they take part in the funeral ceremony of former Chinese Communist Party leader and liberal reformer Hu Yaobang during an unauthorized demonstration to mourn his death. Hu Yaobang's death in April trigged an unprecedented wave of pro-democracy demonstrations. The April-June 1989 movement was crushed by Chinese troops in June when army tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square 04 June. (Photo credit should read CATHERINE HENRIETTE/AFP/Getty Images)

Twenty-five years after the protests and massacre at Tiananmen Square, the People's Republic of China still attempts to suppress all mention and coverage of the incident. Here's what the Beijing center looked like then.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) a file photo taken on May 14, 1989 showing a student hunger striker from Beijing University sitting cross legged as several hundred students stage a huge demonstration at Tiananmen Square and (bottom) visitors walking past the same spot 25 years later on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / CATHERINE HENRIETTE / STRSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Left: A student participates in a hunger strike on May 14, 1989, in Tiananmen Square. Right: The same spot in Tiananmen Square on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) a file photo taken on May 14, 1989 showing student hunger strikers lying on the ground at Beijing's central Tiananmen Square where they spent the night during the Beijing Spring movement and (bottom) two security personnel standing at the same spot 25 years after on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / CATHERINE HENRIETTE / FILESSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Above: Student hunger strikers lie on the ground at Tiananmen Square on May 14, 1989. Below: The same spot on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) students from Beijing University staging a demonstration on Tiananmen Square as they start an unlimited hunger strike as part of mass pro-democracy protests against the Chinese government on May 18, 1989 and (bottom) people walking on the same spot 25 years after on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / FILES / CATHERINE HENRIETTESTR/AFP/Getty Images

Above: Students from Beijing University protest in Tiananmen Square on May 18, 1989. Below: The square on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (L) a file photo taken on May 30, 1989 showing students and people of Beijing gathering in Tiananmen Square around a "Statue of Liberty", a replica of New York Statue of Liberty created by students from an art institute to promote the pro-democracy protest against the Chinese government and (R) visitors walking near the same location 25 years after on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / FILESSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Left: Chinese citizens gather around a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square on May 30, 1989. Right: The same spot in the square on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) a file picture taken on June 2, 1989 showing Chinese people gathering around a replica of the Statue of Liberty (back C) on Tiananmen Square demanding democracy despite martial law being in effect in Beijing and (bottom) visitors walking past the same spot 25 years after on May 29, 2014. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / CATHERINE HENRIETTE / FILESSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Above: Chinese citizens gather around a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square on June 2, 1989. Below: The same spot in the square on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) a file picture taken on June 3, 1989 showing soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) sitting in front of the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square and (bottom) vehicles parking on the same spot 25 years after on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / CATHERINE HENRIETTE / FILESSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Above: The People's Liberation Army sits in front of the Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square on June 3, 1989. Below: The square on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) a file picture taken on June 6, 1989 showing the People's Liberation Army (PLA) tanks guarding a strategic Chang'an Avenue leading to Tiananmen Square and (bottom) cyclers and vehicles passing the same spot 25 years after on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / MANUEL CENETA / FILESSTR/AFP/Getty Images

Above: People's Liberation Army tanks guard an entrance to Tiananmen Square on June 6, 1989. Below: The square on May 29, 2014.

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A combination of pictures shows (top) a file picture taken on June 9, 1989 showing a soldier standing guard in front of People's Liberation Army tanks at Tiananmen Square after a military crackdown and (bottom) Chinese people walking past the same spot 25 years after on May 29, 2014 in Beijing. China's vast censorship machine does its utmost to wipe the slightest reference to the Tiananmen crackdown from books, television and the Internet, scrubbing the issue from public discussion and even from the minds of its younger generation. CHINA OUT AFP PHOTO / FILES / CATHERINE HENRIETTESTR/AFP/Getty Images

Above: Tiananmen Square on June 9, 1989. Below: The square on May 29, 2014.