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Chinese Use Texting to Keep Protest Alive

Posted Jun 28, 07 12:56 PM CDT in World,  Technology 

(Newser) – Chinese activists used text messages and blog posts to organize and publicize a huge protest against the construction of a chemical plant, demonstrating continuing ingenuity in skirting government strictures against dissent in the media. Construction of the plant in the coastal town of Xiamen was put on hold following a 10,000-person demonstration, the Washington Post reports.

The local party secretary was pushing hard for the plant, intimidating reporters who investigated resistance to the project. But organizers sent text messages warning of the dangers construction would pose, and marchers blogged the protest live. Local officials tried to shut down the new-media dissenters by blocking texting systems and jamming blogs.

Source Washington Post

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A protester holds up a sign which reads "Must stop construction, Not suspend Construction" during a demonstration against a chemical plant in Xiamen, southeastern China, Friday, June 1, 2007. Protesters...   (Associated Press)
Protesters march against the construction of a chemical plant on the streets of Xiamen, southeastern China, Friday, June 1, 2007. Several hundred people staged a peaceful demonstration Friday against...   (Associated Press)
Zhang hai Ming uses his cell phone to send a short text message in Beijing, China, October 10, 2003. This year, about 200 billion text messages will zip to cell phones across China.   (KRT Photos)
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