大象传媒

30 years ago today, one of the best-known student movements was violently crushed by its own government in China's Tiananmen Square. Hundreds, perhaps thousands were killed. The Beijing government has today defended its reaction, saying it was a "vaccination" against turmoil. Wang Dan was once one of China's most wanted criminals. He was a pro-democracy student leader who had to go on the run after the Tiananmen Square protests. He spent many years in prison and is now based in the United States. He is unable to return to China. Mr Dan spoke to Newsday's Lawrence Pollard.

(Photo: Wang Dan making a speech at Tiananmen Square on 27th May 1989, about a week before the crackdown Credit: Peter Turnley/Corbis/Getty Images)