150,000 Students Protest, Bring Beijing to Standstill : Some Fear Imminent Crackdown

More than 150,000 students marching for democratic freedoms today defied Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, brought Beijing to a standstill and may have wrested a major concession from the government.

For nearly the whole day most of Beijing was paralyzed in the largest anti-government protest in at least 13 years.

Chinese officials privately warned that the Communist authorities had suffered severe humiliation and that a crackdown could be imminent.

Probably more than a million Beijing citizens witnessed the student march to Tian An Men Square in the heart of the capital, many of the bystanders appearing to revel in the deliberate affront to a government accustomed to its orders being obeyed.

Warnings Ignored

Students from more than 30 campuses in the capital ignored repeated warnings from authorities against demonstrations and by sheer weight of numbers forced a large police force to abandon attempts to stop them.

In the first official response to the march, state radio quoted a spokesman for the State Council as saying it welcomed a dialogue with students “any time” but that this must take place in a “calm and restrained atmosphere.”

“Dialogue” has been the main immediate demand of the students, who have also called for a free press, freedom of publication and assembly, publication of the private assets of Chinese leaders and their families, and a crackdown on corruption among leaders.

Setting out early from campuses in the northwest suburbs, the students poured south, then marched eastward in triumph past the Communist Party and government headquarters, through Tian An Men Square. Then, with the sun setting, they headed north toward home.

‘We’ve Won the Day’

“Physically we’ve pushed it as far as we can,” said a Beijing University history graduate toward the end of the 20-mile march. “We’ve won the day. For the government to say it will grant dialogue is a major concession.

“We’ve shown the government that peaceful, patriotic demonstrations are possible.”

A statement issued by China’s official press Wednesday and believed to originate with the 84-year-old Deng described the democracy movement that has erupted in Beijing and other cities as a “planned conspiracy” to overthrow party rule.

It warned that further demonstrations were illegal and that activists would be severely punished, but authorities did not back up the tough words with action today.

Onlookers Cheer

Police looked on helplessly as marchers broke through a series of cordons and won cheers from onlookers who clapped, made V-for-victory signs and joined in the students’ chants.

Many threw food and cigarettes to the students.

Even soldiers brought in to control crowds but helpless to do so stood on sidewalks clapping and laughing as students taunted China’s official media for its distorted reports.

Banners borne aloft read “Down with rule by men, long live rule by law,” “Down with corruption,” “Press freedom” and “Long live democracy.”