China Pre-Empts ‘Jasmine’ Protest

Jittery Chinese officials, mindful of the political upheaval in Egypt and elsewhere, moved quickly on Sunday, detaining more than 100 activists after a call went out on an overseas website for a “jasmine revolution” in the world’s most populous country. —JCL

The Guardian:

Chinese security officials have questioned or detained scores of activists and warned others against staging protests after an online call was made for demonstrations in 13 cities, campaigners said.

The message—posted on an overseas website on Saturday—was titled “The jasmine revolution in China”.

The swift crackdown underlined the anxiety of authorities in the wake of the Egypt uprising and protests across the Middle East.

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AP / Vincent Yu

Police officers face off with a small crowd of demonstrators outside the Chinese liaison office in Hong Kong on Sunday.