A year after the Urumqi fire, grassroots activists commemorate the white paper movement abroad; protesters have a lasting new sense of strength and duty.
Urumqi Fire Protests (Photo: KUNR)
The White Paper Movement
SOURCE– In November 2022, Chinese internet was overwhelmed with grief and rage, despite the efforts of the government to maintain its strict censorship of online dissent. The outpour was triggered by a fire incident in Urumqi, which is the capital of the western region of Xinjiang. The Urumqi fire incident killed at least 10 people after harsh COVID rules restricted the movement of the rescuers and victims.
Thousands of people took to the streets across China to protest the inhumane pandemic measures of the government. Chinese citizens also denounce the authoritarian rule of the CCP. The White Paper Movement, named after the blank sheets of paper held by the participants during their protests to mock official censorship, drew support from the Chinese diaspora.
A year has passed since the White Paper Movement, the largest protest in China since 1989, caught the world by surprise. However, due to strict censorship and surveillance, White Paper Movement public commemorations inside China are nearly impossible. Words associated with the White Paper Movement continue to be banned online. White Paper Movement protest sites are cordoned off by authorities. Those who participated in the White Paper Movement protest in 2022 continue to face police harassment.
READ ALSO: Find Out How To Avoid Potential Reduction Of Social Security Benefits
White Paper Movement Continues To Spread Internationally
Despite the heavy restrictions on the White Paper Movement in China, remembrance protests are being spread internationally. One Chinese protester at a White Paper Movement rally in Washington said that it is his duty to speak up for the people who have been censored in China.
Another protester at a White Paper Movement rally in London said that it is very common for Chinese people living in China to feel powerless. The only way to get rid of that feeling is through action.
READ ALSO: Here Are Some Ways To Improve Child Tax Credit For Low Income Families
