TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Students at over 50 universities, including Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping's (習近平) alma mater Tsinghua University, have taken part in what has become known as the "A4 Revolution" (白紙革命), a protest against censorship and restrictive government policies.
A fire broke out in a residential apartment tower in Urumqi, Xinjiang on Nov. 24, officially killing 10 and injuring nine. However, many Chinese suspect that the true number of deaths is far higher, and that the lives were lost due to COVID restrictions that prevented residents from fleeing the flames.
As a way to protest the government's response to the fire, protesters in China have started to hold up blank pieces of paper to express their discontent while not making them subject to as much legal jeopardy as there is nothing written on them. From Friday to Sunday (Nov. 25-27), students at over 50 universities held demonstrations as part of the "A4 Revolution," named after the size of white paper they are holding up as an act of defiance.
The students are reportedly demonstrating against zero-COVID lockdowns, for freedom of expression, and to express their solidarity with the victims of the Urumqi fire. Vivian Wu, former head of the BBC Hong Kong Bureau and editor of Initium Media, on Sunday shared an image compiled by Chinese netizens that shows 51 universities where protests were held.
The universities on the list include top schools such as Fudan University, Shanghai University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and Renmin University, the latter of which is the first university founded by the Chinese Communist Party. Not on the list was Tsinghua University, where students were seen on Sunday chanting "freedom of expression, democracy, and rule of law."
Also not listed was Peking University, where a large group of students was seen singing "The Internationale" during a protest against COVID restrictions. In addition, a student was taken away by the authorities after holding up a white piece of paper and shouted "give me freedom or give me death" as he was whisked away.
An incomplete list of schools collected by netizens showed that, by this morning more than 50 universities nationwide including some top ones, have seen protests or actions participated by students. They expressed anger against lockdown,control over freedom, mourned for victims. pic.twitter.com/IjXrDMyVUT
— Vivian Wu (@vivianwubeijing) November 27, 2022
Just come in. As a relay, at this moment hundreds of students are gathering on the campus of Tsinghua University (one of the tops in China) chanting “ freedom of expression democracy rule of law”, after dozens of such gatherings seen on campuses nationwide over past two days. pic.twitter.com/LUa4KPyqJh
— Vivian Wu (@vivianwubeijing) November 27, 2022
Tsinghua university right now city after city seeing protests small and large against Zero Covid policies and against excesses of Communist Party rule - every hour there seems to be a new one pic.twitter.com/7CbUtzNmjR
— Emily Feng 冯哲芸 (@EmilyZFeng) November 27, 2022
"Peking University students sing "The Internationale" during a protest against coronavirus restrictions in China."https://t.co/WdxHtYzZlw pic.twitter.com/dpdNGtYRQd
— Justartsandstuff 〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕〔錯誤字元無法儲存〕 (@justartsndstuff) November 27, 2022
Beijing, this morning
At Peking University, a student was taken away by some men in black. While walking, the student shouted: "Give me Liberty or Give me Death".#ChinaProtests pic.twitter.com/MTKC5mCaNn
— 如月佑子 TGTM (@ruyueyouzi) November 28, 2022
Students from the elite school Tsinghua University protested with Friedmann equation. I have no idea what this equation means, but it does not matter.
It's the pronunciation: it's similar to "free的man" (free man)—a spectacular and creative way to express, with intelligence. pic.twitter.com/m5zomeTRPF
— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 (@nathanlawkc) November 27, 2022
Art for support #A4Revolution #A4纸革命 #A4革命 pic.twitter.com/yiFImKYS2A
— 巴丢草 Bad ї ucao (@badiucao) November 28, 2022
