Bob Hawke's tears for the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre ushered in a new sympathy for refugees in Australia. Following this famous speech, he made a unilateral promise, without consulting his cabinet, to offer asylum to thousands of Chinese students. He was told: ‘You cannot do that, prime minister.’ He responded, ‘I just did. It is done.’ | SBS News

Twenty-nine years ago, a Chinese man, shopping bag in hand, stood in front of a column of People’s Liberation Army tanks in Tiananmen Square. Tank Man became an iconic symbol of the protests. His stand was the culmination of weeks of clashes between Chinese pro-democracy protesters and the government, which saw thousands killed. The official death toll is unknown, but is believed to be several thousand ​ | The Guardian

On June 5th, 1989, an iconic moment of resistance occurred during the Tiananmen Square protests. An unknown individual, who later became known as “Tank Man,” bravely stood in front of a column of tanks, effectively halting their advance. Despite attempts by the Chinese government to censor the event, “Tank Man” remains a potent symbol of individual courage against oppressive regimes. | History In Pictures