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Defiant Protest in Hunan Province Calls for Democratic Reforms and Xi's Ouster
An unidentified protester in Hunan province, China, calls for democratic reforms and the ouster of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, echoing a similar protest by Peng Lifa in Beijing last year.
President Xi Jinping meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Aug. 17, 2017. (DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dominique A. Pineiro)
A bold protest has taken place in Hunan province, China, where an unidentified individual hung a banner from a pedestrian footbridge calling for democratic reforms and the removal of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. The incident, which occurred on July 30, bears striking similarities to a previous protest in Beijing last year by Peng Lifa, who was detained immediately afterwards and hailed as a hero by democracy activists.
The banner read: "Equality, not privilege. Freedom, not control. Reforms, not the Cultural Revolution. Elections not leaders." A loudspeaker blared slogans calling for strikes by students and workers, with chants of "We want democracy! We want to vote! Oust Xi Jinping!" The protest took place on Tianhua Road in Loudi, a city of 3.7 million people, just a kilometer away from the county police department.
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Online comments praised the protester's courage, while others expressed concern for their safety due to surveillance cameras at the scene. Influential blogger Toronto Square Face commented: “If you protest, the dictator is likely to step down. There will be more and more rebels like this as China's economy declines.”
Japan-based social media commentator Wild Dog said Peng's daring protest had planted "seeds" among the Chinese people. Paris-based artist and activist Jiang Bu echoed this sentiment, saying that Peng's protest was just the beginning and would inspire others to take action.
The protest highlights the growing collaboration between activists in China and those overseas, with Jiang noting that even small acts of resistance can eventually lead to significant change. Fellow activists confirmed that Peng was still alive, although his whereabouts remain unclear, and his family is under close surveillance.
