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Blank sheets of paper become symbol of defiance in China protests

14 Sept 02:18 Key points summarised by AI

Chinese citizens are adopting blank sheets of paper as a silent symbol of defiance to protest stringent zero-COVID policies and circumvent censorship.
The widespread public dissent, a rare occurrence, was ignited by a deadly apartment fire in Urumqi, leading to speculation that lockdown measures hindered escape.
Protests quickly escalated from online platforms to streets and top universities in cities like Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing, with participants holding up blank paper.
Despite immediate censorship efforts, including blocking related hashtags, protesters voice deep anger over 'secondary disasters' attributed to the zero-COVID policy.

Today 12:56 Key points summarised by AI

President Macron condemned widespread rioting and looting during nationwide protests, blaming far-left activists and criminals for the "unrestrained violence" and vowing accountability for those who "sought to bring down the Republic."
Over 2,400 arrests were made as protests against rising living costs and poor school conditions escalated, causing extensive damage to public buildings and businesses in cities like Paris, Limoges (where City Hall burned), Marseille, and Lyon.
The unrest, which organizers hoped would revive the "yellow vest" movement, saw political leaders trade blame, with Macron instructing prefects to protect public buildings and potentially ban future protests to prevent further disorder.