Inflatable Depiction of Tiananmen 'Tank Man' Installed in Taipei Ahead of Crackdown Anniversary

The iconic “tank man” photo that came to symbolize the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown has been recreated with inflatables in Taipei ahead of the 30th anniversary of the pro-democracy protests.

“Tank man,” as the person became known, was filmed and photographed standing in front of a line of tanks on June 5, 1989, the morning after the Chinese military had killed hundreds, possibly thousands, of pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The killings came after a month of demonstrations calling for democratic reforms.

This footage, shot by Zhang Zhe Sheng on May 22, shows the giant inflatable tank and “tank man” in front of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei.

The installation is by the Taiwanese artist Shake, according to Hong Kong Free Press. Credit: Facebook/ZhangZheSheng via Storyful