China's Protests: Twitter Coverage Part 1
"Even if its for one night, it is also very different from before."
Thanks to the bravery of some Chinese citizens who participated in the protest calling for an end to the lockdown in #China's #Shanghai just a few hours ago, here are some of their reflections on the protest:
"I didn't expect the online protests to be non-stop and when people took to the street in Urumqi on Friday night, I was really touched and moved. I felt that this time, things were really different. Even if it's for one night, it is also very different from before."
More from protesters who participated in #Shanghai's protest: "The main demand was to put an end to the zero-Covid measures. Some people expressed their dissatisfaction with the Communist Party, while others mourned the death of those in the fire in Urumqi."
One good thing this site actually facilitates: in the past 48 hrs, numerous mini-protests took place across various Chinese college campus against zero COVID policy. Many are censored but they ended up on Twitter, then ppl get to smuggle them back behind GFW, even just briefly
Tsinghua university right now👇🏼 city after city seeing protests small and large against Zero Covid policies and against excesses of Communist Party rule - every hour there seems to be a new one
Some thoughts for how to try to think about and report the story of the 11-24 Urumchi fire and wave of protests across PRC opposing zero-Covid policies (a thread).
4. Be aware of / reflect in reporting, the many parallels and connections between zero Covid policies and the on-going state mass repression of Uyghurs. They are connected in many ways.
Rhetorically: "Draconian measures necessary to absolutely exterminate a [thought] virus."
5. While exploring connections, be aware of differences between Xinjiang, Tibet, other places in state of exception, and Han China. Xinjiang has been under lockdown since August--longer than the Shanghai lockdown which was resisted and reported on.
Many in Xinjiang may remember the notorious 1994 Xinjiang Karamay fire which killed over 300 children, who had to remain seated while visiting officials were allowed to exit the burning building first (讓領導先走!) Children dying in a burning building has special resonance in XJ
A bit of levity
Translation:
“How powerful are international anti-Chinese forces?
The international community, in order to to trick China, spent $2bn to organize a 28-day fake World Cup.
But, China sees through the plot and its team didn’t participate. Otherwise, the consequences would have been too awful to contemplate.”
Some official thought it would be a good idea to take down the “Urumqi Street”sign where protests were held last night
Now my whole WeChat timeline is laughing at it
Let the memes commence:
Another photo is going around of someone bringing an alpaca to Urumqi Street in Shanghai, close enough to a “草泥马”, ‘grass mud horse’ which sounds like ‘fuck your mother’ in Chinese. No idea when this was taken though.
This is great - thanks !