The division took part in the martial law enforcement and the crackdown on protests in Beijing in May and June 1989 along with the 28th Army Headquarters. On June 4, 1989, when marching eastward at Muxidi (), the division was blocked by thousands of protesters. With the deliberate indulgence by its army commissar Zhang Mingchun(), and army commander He Yanran (), soldiers from the division mutinied and moved against orders. The division failed to meet its objective in the incident.