#WhitePaperRevolution

#WhitePaperRevolution – James Roguski

Mon 6:21 pm +01:00, 28 Nov 2022

posted by danceaway

While it can have many, many meanings, a blank piece of white paper is a protest against censorship. “There was definitely nothing on paper, but we know what is on there.”

Blank sheets of white paper were a symbol of defiance over the weekend as Chinese protesters braved likely prosecution to openly oppose the government’s policy of zero tolerance for COVID and public dissent.

The movement began with a solemn vigil for 10 victims who perished on November 24 in an apartment fire in Urumqi, Xinjiang, where residents had been living in a state of lockdown for over three months. Restrictions on their movements and obstacles preventing a prompt rescue by firefighters were said to have contributed to the victims’ deaths.

The white paper trend became popular among protesters in Hong Kong in 2020, after the city implemented a nebulous and sweeping national security law passed by Beijing days earlier.

Over the weekend, Chinese diaspora communities on Twitter and elsewhere called it the “White Paper Revolution,” or the “A4 Revolution,” based on the sheet size.

The white paper represents an ironic response to the diminishing space for disagreement under Xi, who has built a vast security apparatus that includes citywide surveillance networks to monitor offline movements, and computer algorithms that automatically filter out sensitive words and viral images from online chatter.

The weekend’s protests carried elements of this frustration. This was especially notable on the campuses of the prestigious Peking University, where an open letter called on the government to roll back COVID controls including mass testing, centralized quarantine, districtwide lockdowns and movement-tracking health apps.

https://www.newsweek.com/china-white-blank-paper-a4-revolution-covid-protests-1762736

Rukiye Turdush @parlabest

Dozens killed apt fire in Uyghur residential building last night.Most of the@ are kids. Because of China’s lock down policy each door was sealed, no one able to escape, fire fighters came very late and waited without taking action by saying that they have wait order from Beijing

Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 @jenniferzeng97

On Nov 23, when a fire broke out in #Urumqi , people’s doors were locked from outside. Fire truck couldn’t get closer either( see my previous tweet). The latest figure says 44 were burnt to death, including a 3 y/o kid. That’s one of the reasons for today’s protests.

FarahBack @Farahback1

They are calling it a #whitepaperrevolution Good for the protesters in China #whitepaper exercise – solidarity! WE STAND WITH YOU!!!! 🙏✊🙏 #whitepaper #china #TakeDownTheEvilCCP

Rodrigo Figueredo🇻🇪🇺🇦 @GeorgeArtwell

#28Nov Mientras tanto en Pekin inicio “La revolucion de papel blanco”. Estas son protestas historicas en China por la LIBERTAD #WhitePaperRevolution #ChinaProtests “No queremos tests, queremos libertad”

李老师不是你老师 @whyyoutouzhele

今天白天浙江乌镇

Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 @JackPosobiec

Hundreds of protesters in Beijing march with blank paper as part of the White Paper Revolution They are chanting “We don’t want testing, we want freedom”

James Melville @JamesMelville

The mass protests breaking out across China against the draconian lockdowns are both courageous and historic. The people have had enough. Authoritarianism never ends well. History has taught us that. The Chinese protestors are creating their own history.

9News Australia @9NewsAUS

Remarkable and rare protests are currently erupting across China over the country’s strict COVID zero policy. It’s being called the White Paper Revolution, with crowds holding up blank sheets of paper as symbols of defiance. @lizziepearl #9News

Matthew ⬛⬛⬛ @i_c_crazy_matt

This is a picture of a Chinese govt official welding a door shut at a housing complex. They are literally holding their people hostage. Citizens can’t go out without govt permission! Now thousands are protesting in the streets. #lockdowns #ChinaProtests

Roger Vicente @rogerVcente

My fellow cameramen and camerawomen: don’t dare these days to make a White Balance in #China 😇

White Paper Company @A4Revolution

他正在用所有人的余生治愈自己的童年。 He’s using the rest of everyone’s life to heal his childhood. #A4Revolution #A4纸革命 #白纸革命 #WhitePaperRevolution

by James Roguski

The old system is crumbling, and we must build its replacement quickly.

If you are fed up with the government, hospital, medical, pharmaceutical, media, industrial complex and would like to help build a holistic alternative to the WHO, then feel free to contact me directly anytime.

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