In Tiananmen Square on June 5th 1989, during a military suppression in the aftermath of the June 4th Incident, a young man stopped in front of a line of tanks in protest. He prevented them from going further by moving in unison with their attempts to manoeuvre around him. He then jumped on the front tank, spoke briefly with its driver, continued to block them and was then escorted away by two men in blue.

The photographs and footage of the event gained significant international exposure. Now a symbol for rebellion, the “Unknown Rebel” has been deemed one of the most influential figures in modern history.

Material from five photographers have surfaced from the event. Jeff Widener’s for The Associated Press is considered among the most iconic photographs of the 20th century. However, due to the communist government, the media surrounding “Tank Man” remains censored and banned in China.