Dramatic Photos – NIMBY Protest Turns Bloody in Western China

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[Warning: Some images below are graphic.]

A NIMBY protest in the small city of Shifang in Sichuan Province against a planned molybdenum copper plant turned bloody when the government mobilized riot police to confront protesters. Photos taken at the scene of the protest were posted on various Chinese social media sites, including Sina Weibo, China’s Twitter.

These photos show many phalanxes of riot police lined up against unarmed protesters, including children and young women. The protesters held homemade signs and placards. “Save Shifang, Give Us Back Our Environment,” read one sign, and “Molybdenum Copper Plant, Get Out of Shifang,” read another T-shirt. Several photos show injured protesters and their wounds. 

At 10:30pm on July 2, the Sichuan government posted a release on its Sina Weibo account announcing that plans for the project will be cancelled in response to the strong protests and urged more understanding from the people. However, netizens at the scene continued to report confrontations. @Jason9IN reports, “Real-time report — as of 11pm Beijing time [on July 2], the local county party boss, behind the cover of a few hundred special police force, urged everyone to leave the scene in three minutes. So far, no official has offered any formal explanations!” {{1}}[[1]]实况报道:北京时间十一点，德阳市委书记，几百名特警背后，督促大家三分钟之内离开现场，至今没有任何一位官员出来正面解释！[[1]] @single发型师 reports fatalities, “I won’t sleep tonight and will keep going until dawn. You have beaten to death three Shifang citizens. What else do you want to do?” {{2}}[[2]]今晚不睡了,陪你们到天亮,据统计,你们已经打死我们三为什邡人民了,你们还要怎样?[[2]]

Zeng Ying, a columnist based in Sichuan (@曾颖眼中的世界), posted the photo below and tweeted, “I bursted into tears when I saw this picture. This lovely girl kneeled for the sake of our future. Policemen, your children will also breathe the air that they fought for and drink the water that they fought for. Remember this, July 2, 2012, Shifang!”{{3}}[[3]]我看到这个场面，顿时哭了，可爱的女孩，你为了未来，跪了下来，警察们，你们的后代也是要呼吸他们争取下的空气喝他们争下的水。记住，2012，7月2日，什邡！[[3]]

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