Memes

That’s a blank link.

The video you linked to says that the footage was spliced together from a 2006 documentary aired by PBS, here's a summary

The Incident: On June 5, 1989, a day after the Chinese army violently suppressed pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square, an unarmed man, later known as "Tank Man," stood his ground in front of a line of tanks on the Avenue of Eternal Peace.

Iconic Image: Captured by Western journalists, this image became a powerful symbol of defiance and the struggle for freedom worldwide.

Documentary's Focus: The FRONTLINE documentary, "The Tank Man," explores the events surrounding the Tiananmen Square protests, the identity of "Tank Man," and the significance of his act of defiance. Filmmaker's Investigation:

Doesn't this rather ignore the fact that the day before the square was cleared of protestors, resulting in hundreds/thousands of deaths?

Considering that Tank Man was never heard from again after the photo was taken, I don't think you claim to understand his rationale for standing in front of the tank.

We can only assume the reason due to the continued censorship of the photo inside China to this day.