Zhuzhou

Zhuzhou.

This is an excerpt from an email from my field director- 

There was a large anti-Japanese protest in Changsha this past Sunday. I know that some of you saw the police presence or were caught in traffic due to road closures. Based on the tips that several of you gave me, I went downtown mid-afternoon and caught up with the protesters at Wuyi Plaza, just outside of Pinghetang Mall (which is Japanese-owned). There were approximately 250 protesters standing in the middle of Wuyi Road; they carried a banner that said "Boycott Japanese goods, and strengthen our China" and alternated shouting slogans with singing the national anthem. Most of the protesters looked college age, but some did not appear to be. There were hundred of onlookers standing in the bike lanes and on the sidewalks; many following along with the march, but didn't shout or carry signs of their own. Many were taking pictures, and I saw at least one man with a small video recorder. The marchers moved down Wuyi from Pinghetang to Carrefour; I didn't follow them, but I gather that the protest ended at Carrefour.

The most surprising thing was the police presence; I saw at least four hundred security personnel from a variety of agencies. That, of course, only counts uniformed security officers. A group of them were dressed in full riot gear, but most were in normal uniforms. Pinghetang was literally surrounded by police; I assume this was to prevent any vandalism or looting.

Despite the fact that this protest occurred with official approval and was held in broad daylight (and involved shutting down the main east-west road in Changsha for a significant part of the day) none of the newspapers on Monday carried any mention of it. I heard from Melissa that there was a protest held in the center of Zhuzhou on Sunday, too; I'd guess that similar events were held in other places in Hunan.

-End excerpt-

Pretty intense, eh?  I didn't see any of this, but Japan is still a hot topic in the school.  I just heard the communist party made it first call for people to stop protesting. 

Now that its hot again everything is starting to smell.  My apartment is infested with flies, my sink has a continuous strange odor (connection?) and my dryer is broken.  Only one week until my vacation!  I'm counting the hours.

Please look at the pretty picture of my city I found on an adoption website.  This is downtown Zhuzhou (Yendi Square).  My school is nowhere near here.

-The Wandering Norseman-