Uncovering the Past: China’s Protest Movement.

Protest Movements in China: A History of Brave Activism

Introduction

June 4, 1989, is a dark day in Chinese history marked by the brutal suppression of peaceful protests, resulting in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, in and around Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. But since then, despite the harshly repressive environment, some brave Chinese people continue to speak out and engage in protests. This article will examine some of the movements that emerged post-Tiananmen and chronicle their histories.

The New Citizens’ Movement

In 2012, the legal scholar Xu Zhiyong founded the New Citizens’ Movement, a loose network of Chinese activists aimed at promoting transparency in government and exposing corruption. The group’s association with the network led to the arrest of dozens of its lawyers and activists after attending an informal gathering in 2019, where they discussed civil society and current affairs in China. The Chinese authorities began summoning or detaining participants in the Xiamen gathering later that month, leading to the eventual sentencing of Xu and human rights lawyer Ding Jiaxi in 2023.

The Feminism Movement

A new feminism movement emerged in 2012, known for its street actions and “atomized” women’s rights protests, sometimes involving just one person. The feminist movement gathered momentum, and the Chinese government responded with a systematic crackdown that included shutting down gender groups in universities, vilification campaigns, and censorship of online discussions around gender and women’s rights issues. In 2015, five prominent members of the group were arrested and detained.

Jasic Labour Movement

Workers at Jasic Technology, a welding-equipment manufacturer in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, attempted to form a trade union in July 2018, leading to the arrest of three workers. University students, labour rights advocates, and other workers were detained or harassed for taking part in protests against the arrests. Many university Marxist groups active in the Jasic movement were eventually disbanded or forced to restructure.

The ‘Jasmine Revolution’ Pro-Democracy Protests

As the Arab Spring protests in the Middle East and North Africa began to spread in 2010, leading to Tunisia’s ‘Jasmine Revolution’ in late 2010, online calls for protests in China emerged. Over 100 activists, many of them active on Twitter and blogs, were detained, put under surveillance, or placed under illegal house arrest. The Chinese authorities characterized the assemblies and protests as “disruption of public order,” and some activists continue to skirt censorship by referring to their protests as “performance art.”

The Falun Gong Protest

In 1999, over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners staged a silent protest in Beijing against the harassment of members of the spiritual movement, which had gained a large following in China during the 1990s. The Chinese government outlawed the group and initiated a campaign of intimidation and persecution, directed by a specialized organization called the 610 Office. Since the movement was banned, tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been arbitrarily detained, and many have been tortured.

‘White Paper’ Protests

In November 2022, videos shared on social media showed protests breaking out across universities and cities throughout China, including Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai, and Wuhan. Peaceful protesters commemorated victims of the Urumqi fire and called for the easing of Covid-19 lockdown measures. Many also demanded that censorship end, and some called for President Xi to step down. The protests showed that despite the heavy risks of prosecution, numerous people in China were ready to speak out.

Conclusion

The Chinese authorities continue to heavily restrict protests and public assemblies, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly remains severely curtailed. Despite the risks of arrest and detention, some Chinese people continue to gather and speak out. The Jasic labour movement, the New Citizens’ Movement, the Feminism movement, the ‘Jasmine Revolution’ pro-democracy protests, and the Falun Gong protest are examples of brave activism that continues in China. Peaceful protest may be ruthlessly suppressed, but it will never be wholly silenced.

Keyword: Protest–china,protest,movement,history,democracy