Asian Games Photo Censored on Chinese Web Over Tiananmen Square Massacre Reference

A snapshot of a hug between two celebrating athletes at the Asian Games was scrubbed from the Chinese internet. This photo was taken just after Lin Yuwei won gold during the 100-meter hurdles final. She's seen embracing fellow China athlete Wu Yanni. The image shows the two athletes' race numbers next to each other combining to form "64." The digits are a common online reference to the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, which took place on June 4. That day, the Chinese regime deployed troops and tanks to gun down crowds of unarmed students. They had gathered to ask for democracy and better access to education. References to it are blocked by Beijing's internet firewall. The race also happened on Oct. 1 when the Chinese Communist Party celebrated its founding. Internet censors are particularly strict during that National Day holiday and other occasions meant to highlight the Party's rule. The image was quickly removed from the popular Chinese social media Weibo as well as search engine Baidu. Google is blocked in China. This year's Asian games are happening in the Chinese city of Hangzhou and run through this Sunday.