A man smashing the window of a police van during a protest in Yuyao, Zhejiang. Residents were upset by a slow official response to massive flooding.
“There was no trace of them during the disaster, but to ‘restore stability’ they came down from above like God’s army.”
The online comment, by someone going by the name “Sweet Child in Heavenly Music,” suggested how some residents of Yuyao felt about the floodwaters, and later the soldiers, that swept into their town and surrounding counties in the eastern province of Zhejiang starting last week, culminating in large-scale protests on Tuesday at government inaction to the natural disaster.
On Wednesday, Yuyao was calm, residents said. Xinhua, the state news agency, reported that 4,800 soldiers from the Nanjing Military Region’s First Army Group were in the city and surrounding areas to provide disaster relief.
The online comment, by someone going by the name “Sweet Child in Heavenly Music,” suggested how some residents of Yuyao felt about the floodwaters, and later the soldiers, that swept into their town and surrounding counties in the eastern province of Zhejiang starting last week, culminating in large-scale protests on Tuesday at government inaction to the natural disaster.
On Wednesday, Yuyao was calm, residents said. Xinhua, the state news agency, reported that 4,800 soldiers from the Nanjing Military Region’s First Army Group were in the city and surrounding areas to provide disaster relief.
Photographs showed at least one military truck draped with a red banner on which was written: “Hard Bones Sixth Company Loves the People.”
“Everything is back to normal,” said a 24-year-old bank employee in Yuyao who gave her surname as Shi, speaking by telephone.
“Everything is back to normal,” said a 24-year-old bank employee in Yuyao who gave her surname as Shi, speaking by telephone.
“People protested yesterday, but it’s calm now. Power and all that kind of stuff are back. Students are back at school. The floodwaters are gone from town,” she said, adding she had been under pressure from her employer not to take part in the demonstrations.
According to photographs circulating on Chinese and overseas Web sites, and multiple accounts, thousands of people protested outside the local government headquarters on Tuesday, facing a heavy security presence.
According to photographs circulating on Chinese and overseas Web sites, and multiple accounts, thousands of people protested outside the local government headquarters on Tuesday, facing a heavy security presence.
Cars were smashed and some protesters tore the word “people” from a sign that read “Serve the People,” the photographs showed.
Two citizens appeared to have bloodied heads, though it was unclear how.
Other pictures showed people being taken away by security officers.
Other pictures showed people being taken away by security officers.
The Global Times newspaper reported an unspecified number of arrests were made.
The trouble began after floods swept the town last week, brought by Typhoon Fitow, which made landfall nearby, causing a “once-in-a-century rainfall,” a still unclear number of deaths and inundating much of the city, Xinhua reported.
The trouble began after floods swept the town last week, brought by Typhoon Fitow, which made landfall nearby, causing a “once-in-a-century rainfall,” a still unclear number of deaths and inundating much of the city, Xinhua reported.
Hundreds of thousands of people were left without electricity.
The government estimated the storm caused damages as costing billions of renminbi.
Yuyao, where half a meter of rain fell, was severely flooded, causing shortages of food and drinking water, residents said.
Tuesday’s protests came in response to word of mouth and swelled with an Internet appeal, Ms. Shi said.
“Urgent from Yuyao, now we appeal to everyone online to support the Yuyao people who are now confronting paramilitary forces in the government square,” the appeal ran.
Yuyao, where half a meter of rain fell, was severely flooded, causing shortages of food and drinking water, residents said.
Tuesday’s protests came in response to word of mouth and swelled with an Internet appeal, Ms. Shi said.
“Urgent from Yuyao, now we appeal to everyone online to support the Yuyao people who are now confronting paramilitary forces in the government square,” the appeal ran.
By late Tuesday it appeared to have been erased from the Internet.
Residents had five questions and demands, according to a list circulating online:
Residents had five questions and demands, according to a list circulating online:
- Did the city mayor even get his pants wet during the flood relief effort?
- Why didn’t the city government respond adequately during the disaster?
- Release those arrested during the course of the day.
- Apologize for misleading reports on state-run television of the state of the rescue effort.
- Why no sign of the paramilitary police during the disaster, but when a reporter from state-run TV was surrounded by a crowd unhappy with the reporting, 12 vehicles arrived within 10 minutes?
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