Asklemmy

this surprised me. from what I can tell from your sources and Wikipedia:

✅ the tanks were indeed leaving the square.

✅ Tank Man stopped them, climbed onto the top of a tank and talked briefly with the soldiers inside, then was quickly shepherded away by two people. it's unclear whether the people were PLA or concerned bystanders. nothing is known of the man.

🤔 sources disagree on whether civilians were killed in the Square itself. some supposed witnesses were shown to have left or been elsewhere.

❌ at least 300 people, mostly civilians, were killed that night, according to the PRC itself. most of the casualties were likely students surrounding the square. from what I can tell it was likely a Kent State situation, where students were throwing rocks and setting fires, and the PLA overreacted with lethal force.

China's suppression of the media didn't do them any favors. the Tank Man photo wouldn't be so infamous but for the Streisand effect caused by PRC's heavy-handed censorship. rumors of a massacre in the Square would be easy to dispel if foreign journalists were allowed to stay and film. but protests were an embarrassment to China, and China sweeps embarrassments under the rug.