Dejiang County Residents Protest

ZHANG:
Chinese Communist authorities banned a traditional Lantern Festival dragon dance in Dejiang County of Guizhou province. When authorities destroyed lanterns and prevented people from gathering, it angered locals and triggered mass protests involving 10,000 people.

STORY:
It's a well-known tradition that on the day before the Lantern Festival, residents in Dejiang County organize a large public dragon dancing event in the city center.

Apparently the best part of the event is when dragon lanterns explode.

[Dejiang Resident]: (quote1):
Every year, we hold the exploding dragon lantern activities here. Last year, even some foreigners came to see it.

Except this year, the new Dejiang governor banned the celebration and blocked roads to prevent a gathering.

[Dejiang Resident]: (quote2):
The authorities were afraid that we might damage public facilities so they wanted us to perform the dragon and lion dance outside the city. There are not many people in the suburbs so the local people don't want to go there.

Naturally when it came to February 8, the day before the festival, the dragon dance group still went to the city center - except this time police came to block them. City management workers, aided by police, destroyed the lanterns, triggering a violent clash.

[Dejiang Resident]:(quote3):
The police even attacked some people on the street. This should be a parade, so why dont they just let us walk on the street? Later it became a violent conflict and now a few people got hurt.

[Reporter]:(quote4):
When the local people protested did the security bureau use tear gas?

[Dejiang Resident]:(quote5):
Yes. Moreover, some of the signage and cars were damaged by them, too.

Upset Internet users posted comments online to expose excessive force from police. Others destroyed Chinese communist symbols and an information board on one building.

Due to the violent reaction Dejiang County officials were forced to make a concession. On the following day authorities removed all road barriers in the city center, to allow locals to celebrate the Lantern Festival and perform the dragon dance.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• deijiang
• protest
• china news
• chinese communist party
• guizhou province
• lantern festival
• dragon dance