Twitter has removed hundreds of accounts critical of China ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, including some belonging to noted dissidents.
The social network apologised, explaining many Chinese-language accounts had been suspended as part of a crackdown on spam and fakery, and that some legitimate accounts had inadvertently been caught up.
China is renowned for its strict online censorship, and has blocked Facebook, Google and Twitter. Students and activists inside the country still access them, however, using anonymising virtual private network (VPN) software to bypass the so-called Great Firewall of China.
Online content relating to the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square – during which government troops shot and killed hundreds of students – is also heavily monitored and censored.
China has ramped up surveillance and censorship efforts in the build-up to the anniversary of the massacre on 4 June, with state censors reportedly introducing a number of new technologies in order to monitor dissidents across social media.
President Donald Trump reviews an honor guard during a ceremonial welcome in the garden of Buckingham Palace in London
AP
A cruise ship crashed into a dock and a tourist river boat on one of Venice’s busiest canals. Four people were injured in the smash, Venice port authorities reported. It happened on the Giudecca Canal – a major thoroughfare that leads to Saint Mark’s Square – on Sunday morning at 8.30am
AFP/Getty
Supporters arrive at Wanda Metropolitano stadium for the Champions League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in Madrid
EPA
A Palestinian girl cool off by water to beat the scorching heat, as others pray outside the Dome of the Rock at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during the last Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,31 May 2019. Israeli police Friday morning shot and killed a Palestinian young man following an alleged stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts daily between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the Koran’s first verse was revealed during its last 10 nights.
EPA
Serena Williams in action during her second round match against Japan’s Kurumi Nara. The 23-time grand slam winner went through to the next round 6-3, 6-2
Reuters
Ken Wyatt is sworn in as Minister for Indigenous Australians by Australia’s Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra, Australia. Scott Morrison announced his new ministry on Sunday 26 May, following his victory in the May 18 Federal election. The new Cabinet features a record number of women with seven taking on senior roles, including Bridget McKenzie as the first female Agriculture Minister. Ken Wyatt is the first indigenous person to be appointed the Indigenous Affairs Minister
Getty
People look on as they examine the damaged remains of school in Dayton, Ohio, after powerful tornadoes ripped through the US state overnight, causing at least one fatality and widespread damage and power outages
AFP/Getty
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a State Banquet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, second from right, and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
AP
Former Italian PM and leader of the right-wing party Forza Italia Silvio Berlusconi looks at photographers as he casts his vote at a polling station in Milan
AFP/Getty
A paramilitary soldier stands guard in front of closed shops during restrictions in downtown area of Srinagar
EPA
Pope Francis gestures as he participates alongside thousands of soccer-mad children in a project to promote the values of sport and soccer, at the Vatican
Reuters
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate their party’s potential win as votes are counted for the Lok Sabha election in Bangalore, India. The Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, elections, began on 11 April and held for 542 of the 543 lower house seats. A party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. It was announced that Narendra Modi was to retain the position of Prime Minister along with the BJP
EPA
Palestinian children help their father sort through arugula produce before he heads to sell it at a market, in an impoverished area in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip
AFP/Getty
Indonesia’s Incumbent President from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Joko Widodo takes a selfie with local residents after his victory speech following the announcement of the election results at a slum area in Jakarta. Joko Widodo was re-elected after beating his rival, retired General Prabowo Subianto
EPA
President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky holding an ancient Bulava (historical symbol of the state power) during his inauguration in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev. Mr Zelensky with 73,22 percent of the votes beat out the current president Petro Poroshenko, who received 24,45 percent of the votes during the second tour of presidential elections in Ukraine which was held on 21 April
Presidential Press Service/EPA
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. Talks between Sudan’s ruling military council and protesters are set to resume, army rulers announced, as Islamic movements rallied for the inclusion of sharia in the country’s roadmap
AFP/Getty
James Hinchcliffe of Canada rolls his car after hitting the wall during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race in Indiana, US
AP
Taiwan became first state in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Thousands of gay rights supporters gathered outside parliament in Taipei during the debate
EPA
Spectators watch as riders take the start of stage six of the 102nd Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, race, 238kms from Cassino to San Giovanni Rotondo
AFP/Getty
Buildings in Hung Hom district are shrouded in coastal fog in Hong Kong, China. In springtime, Hong Kong is affected by alternate cold and warm air. As cold air from the north recedes, warm and humid air comes in from the sea and as the water near the coast is still rather cold, the warm and humid air may be cooled sufficiently by the underlying cold water
EPA
An Indian worker packs mangos for sale at a wholesale fruit market in Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir. Mango is regarded as the national fruit of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines. India is one of the leading producers of tropical and subtropical fruits in the world and is said to be the world’s largest mango producer
EPA
A nurse carries a newborn baby after a fire broke out on the terrace of a children’s hospital building in Ahmedabad, India
Reuters
Members of the action group Extinction Rebellion hold banners in front of the Eiffel Tower after spilling fake blood on the Trocadero esplanade during a demonstration to alert on the state of decline of biodiversity, in Paris. Extinction Rebellion is an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to achieve radical change in order to minimise the risk of human extinction and ecological collapse
AFP/Getty
An armed police officer greets members of the Muslim community in front of Al Noor mosque as they arrive for the iftar, the evening meal, in Christchurch, New Zealand. Muslims around the world are observing the holiest month of Ramadan, fasting from sunrise to sunset for a month. Ramadan this year will be slightly sombre for New Zealand Muslims – especially those in Christchurch – in the wake of the mosque terror attacks where 51 people died after a gunman opened fire during Friday prayers at Linwood and Al Noor Mosques on March 15
Getty
Muslims perform prayers on a road outside a mosque on the first Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Srinagar
Reuters
German Chancellor Angela Merkel greets people after posing for a family photo during the informal meeting of European Union leaders in Sibiu, Romania
Reuters
Smokes rises after a huge explosion near the offices of the attorney general in Kabul, Afghanistan. Two police officials say Wednesday’s explosion was followed by a gunbattle between militants and security forces
AP
Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo wave as they walk to Insein prison gate as they were freed, after receiving a presidential pardon in Yangon, Myanmar
Reuters
Students sit in circles as they read the Koran on the first day of Ramadan at Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah Islamic boarding school in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts during the period between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the revelation of the first verse in Koran was during its last 10 nights
EPA
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte ignites the liberation fire during the Liberation festival in Almere, The Netherlands.
EPA
Demonstrators wearing bees masks and costumes lie on the ground during a demonstration for biodiversity called by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Paris.
AFP/Getty Images
Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the women’s 800m at the IAAF Diamond League competition in Doha
AFP/Getty
Children chant slogans as they watch a demonstration outside the army headquarters in Khartoum. Crowds of Sudanese protesters began converging in Khartoum for a “million-strong” march to press for a civilian administration after talks with military rulers ran into trouble
AFP/Getty
People hold blue, white and red smoke bombs as they demonstrate to mark May Day in Toulouse. France’s zero-tolerance approach to protest violence will be tested, when a mix of labour unionists, “yellow vest” demonstrators and hardline hooligans are expected to hit the streets on Labour Day
AFP/Getty
Opponents to Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro face off with Bolivarian National Guards in armored vehicles, loyal to the president, during an attempted military uprising in Caracas, Venezuela. Opposition leader Juan Guaido took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops in a call for the military to rise up and oust Madur
AP
In this aereal view officials measure a giant teddy bear measuring more than 20 meters long and 4 tons of weight, which entered the Guiness Book of World Records as the biggest of its kind in Xonacatlan, Mexico state.
AFP/Getty Images
Competitors ride their bikes along sand dunes during the Stage 1 of the 14th edition of Titan Desert 2019 mountain biking race around Merzouga in Morocco
AFP/Getty
Greenpeace activists hold banners reading “Climate urgency: Think, vote, act” on top of the Columbus (Colon) Monument in Barcelona on April 27, 2019 as part of an awareness campaign on the eve of Spain’s general elections. – Spain returns to the polls on April 28 for unpredictable snap elections marked by the resurgence of the far-right after more than four decades on the outer margins of politics.
AFP/Getty
A security officer stands guard outside St. Anthony’s Shrine, days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels across the island on Easter Sunday, in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Reuters
Palestinian beekeepers inspect beehives at the honey-bee farm in the east of Khan Younis town, near the border with Israel, southern Gaza Strip. The beekeepers collect honey and wax from beehives at this time of this year
EPA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a Russian honor guard after arriving at a railway station in Vladivostok, for the summit to be held with Russian President Vladimir Putin
EPA
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he holds the granddaughter of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah after he arrives to cast his vote at a polling station during the third phase of general election in Ahmedabad
Reuters
A woman living near St Anthony’s shrine runs for safety with her baby after police found explosive devices in a parked vehicle in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bombings on Easter Sunday ripped through churches and luxury hotels killing at least 290 people
AP
Police and security personnel stand guard outside the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo after a bombing attack; one of eight across the country on Easter Sunday
EPA
A protester walks amid tear gas deployed by security services on the 23rd week of Gilets Jaunes protests in Paris
Getty
Ultra-Orthodox Jews burn leaven in the Mea Shearim neighbourhood of Jerusalem ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, in Jerusalem
Reuters
Christian worshippers take part in the procession of the holy Thursday, during the Catholic Washing of the Feet ceremony on Easter Holy Week, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s old city
EPA
A young girl runs past UWSA military contingents before a parade held to mark the 30th anniversary of Wa State in Panghsang, also called Pang Kham of autonomous Wa region, north-eastern Myanmar. Wa declared itself as an independent State on 17 April 1989. Although the government of Myanmar does not recognize the sovereignty of Wa State, Myanmar military has adopted a ceasefire with the state since 9 May 1989. Wa State has been notorious for drug smuggling in the Golden Triangle of the last 30 years, although it declared its region a drug-free zone in 2005
EPA
Firefighters spray water as they work to extinguish the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The huge blaze that devastated the cathedral is “under control”, the Paris fire brigade said early on April 16 after firefighters spent hours battling the flames
AFP/Getty
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris
AFP/Getty
President Donald Trump reviews an honor guard during a ceremonial welcome in the garden of Buckingham Palace in London
AP
A cruise ship crashed into a dock and a tourist river boat on one of Venice’s busiest canals. Four people were injured in the smash, Venice port authorities reported. It happened on the Giudecca Canal – a major thoroughfare that leads to Saint Mark’s Square – on Sunday morning at 8.30am
AFP/Getty
Supporters arrive at Wanda Metropolitano stadium for the Champions League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in Madrid
EPA
A Palestinian girl cool off by water to beat the scorching heat, as others pray outside the Dome of the Rock at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during the last Friday prayers of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan,31 May 2019. Israeli police Friday morning shot and killed a Palestinian young man following an alleged stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Old City. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts daily between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the Koran’s first verse was revealed during its last 10 nights.
EPA
Serena Williams in action during her second round match against Japan’s Kurumi Nara. The 23-time grand slam winner went through to the next round 6-3, 6-2
Reuters
Ken Wyatt is sworn in as Minister for Indigenous Australians by Australia’s Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove in Canberra, Australia. Scott Morrison announced his new ministry on Sunday 26 May, following his victory in the May 18 Federal election. The new Cabinet features a record number of women with seven taking on senior roles, including Bridget McKenzie as the first female Agriculture Minister. Ken Wyatt is the first indigenous person to be appointed the Indigenous Affairs Minister
Getty
People look on as they examine the damaged remains of school in Dayton, Ohio, after powerful tornadoes ripped through the US state overnight, causing at least one fatality and widespread damage and power outages
AFP/Getty
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump attend a State Banquet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito, second from right, and Empress Masako at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo
AP
Former Italian PM and leader of the right-wing party Forza Italia Silvio Berlusconi looks at photographers as he casts his vote at a polling station in Milan
AFP/Getty
A paramilitary soldier stands guard in front of closed shops during restrictions in downtown area of Srinagar
EPA
Pope Francis gestures as he participates alongside thousands of soccer-mad children in a project to promote the values of sport and soccer, at the Vatican
Reuters
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters celebrate their party’s potential win as votes are counted for the Lok Sabha election in Bangalore, India. The Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, elections, began on 11 April and held for 542 of the 543 lower house seats. A party or alliance needs 272 seats to form a government. It was announced that Narendra Modi was to retain the position of Prime Minister along with the BJP
EPA
Palestinian children help their father sort through arugula produce before he heads to sell it at a market, in an impoverished area in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip
AFP/Getty
Indonesia’s Incumbent President from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Joko Widodo takes a selfie with local residents after his victory speech following the announcement of the election results at a slum area in Jakarta. Joko Widodo was re-elected after beating his rival, retired General Prabowo Subianto
EPA
President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky holding an ancient Bulava (historical symbol of the state power) during his inauguration in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev. Mr Zelensky with 73,22 percent of the votes beat out the current president Petro Poroshenko, who received 24,45 percent of the votes during the second tour of presidential elections in Ukraine which was held on 21 April
Presidential Press Service/EPA
Sudanese protesters gather for a sit-in outside the military headquarters in Khartoum. Talks between Sudan’s ruling military council and protesters are set to resume, army rulers announced, as Islamic movements rallied for the inclusion of sharia in the country’s roadmap
AFP/Getty
James Hinchcliffe of Canada rolls his car after hitting the wall during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race in Indiana, US
AP
Taiwan became first state in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. Thousands of gay rights supporters gathered outside parliament in Taipei during the debate
EPA
Spectators watch as riders take the start of stage six of the 102nd Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, race, 238kms from Cassino to San Giovanni Rotondo
AFP/Getty
Buildings in Hung Hom district are shrouded in coastal fog in Hong Kong, China. In springtime, Hong Kong is affected by alternate cold and warm air. As cold air from the north recedes, warm and humid air comes in from the sea and as the water near the coast is still rather cold, the warm and humid air may be cooled sufficiently by the underlying cold water
EPA
An Indian worker packs mangos for sale at a wholesale fruit market in Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir. Mango is regarded as the national fruit of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines. India is one of the leading producers of tropical and subtropical fruits in the world and is said to be the world’s largest mango producer
EPA
A nurse carries a newborn baby after a fire broke out on the terrace of a children’s hospital building in Ahmedabad, India
Reuters
Members of the action group Extinction Rebellion hold banners in front of the Eiffel Tower after spilling fake blood on the Trocadero esplanade during a demonstration to alert on the state of decline of biodiversity, in Paris. Extinction Rebellion is an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to achieve radical change in order to minimise the risk of human extinction and ecological collapse
AFP/Getty
An armed police officer greets members of the Muslim community in front of Al Noor mosque as they arrive for the iftar, the evening meal, in Christchurch, New Zealand. Muslims around the world are observing the holiest month of Ramadan, fasting from sunrise to sunset for a month. Ramadan this year will be slightly sombre for New Zealand Muslims – especially those in Christchurch – in the wake of the mosque terror attacks where 51 people died after a gunman opened fire during Friday prayers at Linwood and Al Noor Mosques on March 15
Getty
Muslims perform prayers on a road outside a mosque on the first Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Srinagar
Reuters
German Chancellor Angela Merkel greets people after posing for a family photo during the informal meeting of European Union leaders in Sibiu, Romania
Reuters
Smokes rises after a huge explosion near the offices of the attorney general in Kabul, Afghanistan. Two police officials say Wednesday’s explosion was followed by a gunbattle between militants and security forces
AP
Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo wave as they walk to Insein prison gate as they were freed, after receiving a presidential pardon in Yangon, Myanmar
Reuters
Students sit in circles as they read the Koran on the first day of Ramadan at Ar-Raudhatul Hasanah Islamic boarding school in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts during the period between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the revelation of the first verse in Koran was during its last 10 nights
EPA
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte ignites the liberation fire during the Liberation festival in Almere, The Netherlands.
EPA
Demonstrators wearing bees masks and costumes lie on the ground during a demonstration for biodiversity called by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in Paris.
AFP/Getty Images
Caster Semenya celebrates after winning the women’s 800m at the IAAF Diamond League competition in Doha
AFP/Getty
Children chant slogans as they watch a demonstration outside the army headquarters in Khartoum. Crowds of Sudanese protesters began converging in Khartoum for a “million-strong” march to press for a civilian administration after talks with military rulers ran into trouble
AFP/Getty
People hold blue, white and red smoke bombs as they demonstrate to mark May Day in Toulouse. France’s zero-tolerance approach to protest violence will be tested, when a mix of labour unionists, “yellow vest” demonstrators and hardline hooligans are expected to hit the streets on Labour Day
AFP/Getty
Opponents to Venezuela’s president Nicolas Maduro face off with Bolivarian National Guards in armored vehicles, loyal to the president, during an attempted military uprising in Caracas, Venezuela. Opposition leader Juan Guaido took to the streets with a small contingent of heavily armed troops in a call for the military to rise up and oust Madur
AP
In this aereal view officials measure a giant teddy bear measuring more than 20 meters long and 4 tons of weight, which entered the Guiness Book of World Records as the biggest of its kind in Xonacatlan, Mexico state.
AFP/Getty Images
Competitors ride their bikes along sand dunes during the Stage 1 of the 14th edition of Titan Desert 2019 mountain biking race around Merzouga in Morocco
AFP/Getty
Greenpeace activists hold banners reading “Climate urgency: Think, vote, act” on top of the Columbus (Colon) Monument in Barcelona on April 27, 2019 as part of an awareness campaign on the eve of Spain’s general elections. – Spain returns to the polls on April 28 for unpredictable snap elections marked by the resurgence of the far-right after more than four decades on the outer margins of politics.
AFP/Getty
A security officer stands guard outside St. Anthony’s Shrine, days after a string of suicide bomb attacks on churches and luxury hotels across the island on Easter Sunday, in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Reuters
Palestinian beekeepers inspect beehives at the honey-bee farm in the east of Khan Younis town, near the border with Israel, southern Gaza Strip. The beekeepers collect honey and wax from beehives at this time of this year
EPA
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a Russian honor guard after arriving at a railway station in Vladivostok, for the summit to be held with Russian President Vladimir Putin
EPA
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he holds the granddaughter of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah after he arrives to cast his vote at a polling station during the third phase of general election in Ahmedabad
Reuters
A woman living near St Anthony’s shrine runs for safety with her baby after police found explosive devices in a parked vehicle in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Bombings on Easter Sunday ripped through churches and luxury hotels killing at least 290 people
AP
Police and security personnel stand guard outside the Shangri-La Hotel in Sri Lankan capital Colombo after a bombing attack; one of eight across the country on Easter Sunday
EPA
A protester walks amid tear gas deployed by security services on the 23rd week of Gilets Jaunes protests in Paris
Getty
Ultra-Orthodox Jews burn leaven in the Mea Shearim neighbourhood of Jerusalem ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, in Jerusalem
Reuters
Christian worshippers take part in the procession of the holy Thursday, during the Catholic Washing of the Feet ceremony on Easter Holy Week, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s old city
EPA
A young girl runs past UWSA military contingents before a parade held to mark the 30th anniversary of Wa State in Panghsang, also called Pang Kham of autonomous Wa region, north-eastern Myanmar. Wa declared itself as an independent State on 17 April 1989. Although the government of Myanmar does not recognize the sovereignty of Wa State, Myanmar military has adopted a ceasefire with the state since 9 May 1989. Wa State has been notorious for drug smuggling in the Golden Triangle of the last 30 years, although it declared its region a drug-free zone in 2005
EPA
Firefighters spray water as they work to extinguish the fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. The huge blaze that devastated the cathedral is “under control”, the Paris fire brigade said early on April 16 after firefighters spent hours battling the flames
AFP/Getty
Smoke and flames rise during a fire at the landmark Notre-Dame Cathedral in central Paris
AFP/Getty
Twitter apologised for suspending the accounts, insisting it was not a response to actions by Chinese authorities.
“These accounts were not mass-reported by the Chinese authorities – this was a routine action on our part,” the firm said in a statement.
“Sometimes our routine actions catch false positives or we make errors.”
The company added: “We apologise. We’re working today to ensure we overturn any errors but that we remain vigilant in enforcing our rules for those who violate them.”
Critics of Chinese censorship pointed out some of the suspended accounts included ones belonging to prominent dissidents.
“More accounts have been suspended than I can keep up,” tweeted Yaxue Cao, editor of the US-based publication China Change, which reports human rights issues in the country.
Ms Yaxue questioned Twitter’s official explanation of why the accounts were suspended, saying: “That doesn’t make sense.”
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