Shifang protest
Shifang protest | |||
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People's Republic of China 31°20′N 104°12′E / 31.333°N 104.200°E | |||
Goals | Suspension of the Sichuan Hongda Co. copper smelting plant | ||
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The Shifang protest was a large-scale
The protest was notable for its size and the composition of its participants, as well as for its success in derailing the copper plant project.
Background
The Shifang city area was among the most severely impacted by the
Protests
Construction on the Sichuan Hongda copper refinery began on 29 June with the company laying the foundation for the plant. Two days later, on 1 July, hundreds of student protesters assembled in front of municipal government buildings to protest the project. Protests grew on 2 and 3 July as thousands more citizens—including students from nearby Guanghan city—demonstrated on the streets and in front of government offices demanding the suspension of the project.[2] Protesters carried banners with slogans such as "Unite to protect the environment for the next generation" and "Safeguard our hometown, oppose the chemical factory's construction."[3][8] The South China Morning Post reported that the protest swelled to have tens of thousands of participants.[8]
Authorities and state-run media reported that the protests turned violent, with demonstrators overturning police vehicles and throwing bricks at government buildings.[1][8] Police were dispatched to quell the protests, firing tear gas and stun grenades into the crowd, and detaining 27 protesters.[1] Images and video circulated online showing protesters bloodied and beaten, and police carrying batons and lobbing tear gas into the crowds. Witnesses told the South China Morning Post that about 8,000 police were stationed along major roads, and that the security officers had used force to disperse the protests.[9]
The local government announced on the morning of 3 July that the copper plant construction would be suspended. Protests continued into the evening, with demonstrators demanding the release of the detained protesters, most of whom were students.[2][9] Late in the evening of 3 July, authorities released 21 of the 27 detained protesters.[1][10] Protests subsided, though six remained in custody facing criminal and administrative charges for their role in the demonstrations.[2]
Public demonstrations were briefly revived on 9 July amidst unverified rumors that a 14-year-old girl had been beaten to death during the protests.
Aftermath
Two months after the protests in Shifang, residents told the
After the demonstrations, authorities were left to grapple with providing housing and compensation to approximately 2,300 villagers whose land had been
During a
Significance
Role of students
The Shifang protests were notable in part due to the composition of the demonstration, which was largely led and organized by young students. Although China experiences tens of thousands of
Alarmed by the participation of students in the demonstration, the Chinese Communist Party tabloid Global Times newspaper ran an editorial exhorting young people to stay out of mass protests and political conflicts, and chastised adults who encouraged such behavior. The editorial was met with some derision on Chinese social media websites; one netizen responded by drawing attention to images of young school children being organized to participate in political rallies supporting the ruling Communist Party.[17]
Importance of social media
As the Shifang protest unfolded, government-run media outlets were largely silent in covering developments in the city. On 3 July, for instance, the official media outlets
The protests gave rise a popular internet meme based on a photograph of a shield and baton-wielding police officer, identified as Liu Bo, chasing a group of young protesters. Liu's image was photoshopped into other scenes, depicting him chasing after actor Mark Wahlberg and Olympic hurdler Liu Xiang, or appearing in the background of Edvard Munch's The Scream.[19][20] The Atlantic's Jessica Levine wrote that the image was "representative of a growing resentment toward alleged abuses by the People's Armed Police," noting that such memes can serve as a barometer of culture in an environment where freedom of speech is limited. "Because of the strictures on speech in China, memes tend to be a really effective way to spread a political message," said social media expert and blogger An Xiao Mina. "If you use off-the-cuff, remixed humor, it's a little easier to talk about such critical topics."[21]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Brian Spegele, Quiet returns to once restive Shifang Archived 2020-10-31 at the Wayback Machine, The Wall Street Journal, 4 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d Caixin Online, Timeline of Shifang Protests Archived 2012-11-03 at the Wayback Machine, 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b c Stanley Lubman, China’s Young and Restless Could Test Legal System Archived 2017-11-24 at the Wayback Machine, The Wall Street Journal, 16 July 2012.
- ^ a b Keith Bradsher, Bolder Protests Against Pollution Win Project’s Defeat in China Archived 2019-09-05 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, 4 July 2012.
- ^ Mark McDonald, A Violent New Tremor in China's Heartland Archived 2012-07-17 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, 4 July 2012
- ^ Andrew Jacobs, In China, Wait Leads to Standoff With Officials Archived 2018-01-31 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, 17 July 2012.
- ^ a b Ben Blanchard, China pollution protest ends, but suspicion of government high Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, Reuters, 8 July 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Tania Branigan, Anti-pollution protesters halt construction of copper plant in China Archived 2017-09-21 at the Wayback Machine, The Guardian, 3 July 2012.
- ^ a b c Shi Jiangtao, Factory axed as Shifang heeds protesters' calls Archived 2012-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, South China Morning Post, 4 July 2012.
- ^ Reuters, Chinese anti-pollution protesters freed as state bows to public outcry Archived 2017-02-25 at the Wayback Machine, 4 July 2012
- ^ Shi Jiangtao, Rumours fuel new protests in Shifang Archived 2013-11-17 at the Wayback Machine, South China Morning Post, 9 July 2012.
- ^ Keith Bradsher, Hong Kong Retreats on 'National Education' Plan Archived 2017-02-23 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, 9 September 2012.
- ^ a b Zuo Lin and Li Wei'ao, Doubts Remain as Shifang Protests Subside Archived 2012-08-17 at the Wayback Machine, Caijing, 17 July 2012.
- ^ South China Morning Post, Shifang party boss axed after pollution protest Archived 2013-11-17 at the Wayback Machine, 30 October 2012.
- ^ Phelim Kine, Chinese Government's Oppressive Policies Draw Ire from the Public Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, Human Rights Watch, 3 August 2012.
- ^ a b Leslie Hook, China's post-90 generation make their mark Archived 2012-07-12 at the Wayback Machine, The Financial Times, 9 July 2012.
- ^ Henochowicz, Anne (July 10, 2012). "No More Politics, Get Back to Studying". China Digital Times. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
- ^ Qian Gang, China’s malformed media sphere Archived 2013-10-08 at the Wayback Machine, University of Hong Kong, China Media Project, 11 July 2012.
- ^ Liz Carter, Meme Watch: China’s “Fat Police Officer” Terrorizes Everything Archived 2012-10-19 at the Wayback Machine, Tea Leaf Nation, 6 July 2012.
- ^ Paul Mozur, Is This Guy the Chinese Version of Pepper Spraying Cop? Archived 2016-09-16 at the Wayback Machine, Wall Street Journal, 9 July 2012.
- ^ Jessica Levine, Photoshopping Dissent: Circumventing China's Censors With Internet Memes Archived 2016-10-11 at the Wayback Machine, The Atlantic, 4 September 2012.