Our efforts to record Tiananmen atrocity

June 9, 2026 • World news

Brief letters: Tiananmen Square protests | Switching from X | So to Speke | JD Vance | Binary understanding

Your article (‘Every year I get new pictures’: the fight to preserve the memory of Tiananmen, 4 June) did not mention the Tiananmen archive held in the British Library, which includes documents and photos, and was established in June 1989. On the evening of 3 June, before any shooting had started, a large group of concerned sinologists met in my house, very worried about what was going to happen. One of our decisions that evening was to collect everything we could about Tiananmen and events there. Frances Wood London • In attempting to resist Jonathan Liew’s suggestion that people come off X, Matt Watkinson instead makes Liew’s argument for him (Letters, 3 June). He says he remains on X because all major companies “know they can reach us swiftly”. Exactly. So if you went to an alternative app, presumably the companies would follow. Lesley Taylor Cambridge • Surely the best Speke joke (Letters, 4 June) is the one about the man at the railway station who asks: “Is this train going to Speke?” To which the guard replies: “Well, I’ve been working on it for 10 years, and it hasn’t said anything yet.” Heather Cooper Cowes, Isle of Wight • JD Vance is right about the problems caused by “the mass invasion of migrants” (Report, 5 June). Look at the US and ask Native Americans how they feel. Dee Northover Bristol • Re alternative number bases (Letters, 7 June), there are 10 types of people: those who understand binary, and those who don’t. Eric Sharp Newcastle upon Tyne • Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.

Source: The Guardian