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https://theconversation.com/chinese-protests-are-about-more-than-covid-student-discontent-has-fuelled-the-biggest-movement-since-tiananmen-square-195515>
"Protests have erupted across China, initially in response to the deaths of ten
people in a fire in an apartment block in Xinjiang in the country’s northwest.
The demonstrations represent the biggest expression of public unrest since the
1989 Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement was savagely crushed.
The deaths have been blamed on China’s strict zero-COVID policy. The deceased
were reportedly prevented from leaving the burning building and their deaths
have sparked an outpouring of grief and anger.
Many of the demonstrations have been led by students. According to reports in
the international media, by November 27 public protests of various sizes had
been staged by students from at least 79 universities across 15 provinces of
China.
Students have a range of grievances, high among them the zero-COVID policy.
But, more broadly, many are protesting against the regime’s stifling of free
speech and its heavy-handed political control. On one campus – Tsingshua
University in Beijing – a video captured hundreds of students gathering to air
their grievances.
One young woman made a speech saying:
If we dare not speak out because we are afraid of being arrested, I think
our people will be disappointed with us. As a student of Tsinghua
University, I will regret it for the rest of my life!
In the background, large numbers of students chanted the slogan: “Democracy,
rule of law and freedom of speech.”
The protests have been dubbed the “A4 revolution” or “blank paper revolution”,
after the students’ expression of their anger and discontent by holding up
blank sheets of A4 paper, symbolising both the silencing of protest and
defiance and rejection of state censorship and control."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
