Via @aikunming
A huge crowd has gathered on Kunming’s Renmin Road for an environmental protest, the second time this month that residents have gathered to voice their opposition to proposed production of a toxic chemical from a nearby factory.
The first such “Anti-PX” protest in Kunming was on May 4, after China National Petroleum Corporation announced plans to build a chemical plant in nearby Anning to produce 500,000 tons of paraxylene (PX), according to Global Voices. Brian Eyler of East by Southeast recently wrote about the government’s response to such protests, a reponse that, judging by what’s happening right now, was not satisfactory.
Eyler is currently live-tweeting from the ground, so follow him @aikunming for updates as they happen.
He estimates that the crowd exceeds 2,500 people, divided into multiple protest zones. Police are also apparently forming human walls to contain the protesters.
#AntiPX #Kunming protest march now 500m long. Already at intersection of 青年路。gathering steam now that its hit the road.
— Brian Eylerさん (@aikunming) 2013年5月16日
The protest started at 10 am, according to Eyler, just as police were making an arrest:
#AntiPX #Kunming protest started @ten with immediate arrest of 1.Protesters tried 2 stop police van taking away arrested. Shut down street.
— Brian Eylerさん (@aikunming) 2013年5月16日
Also:
#kunming students not allowed to leave campus as thousands rallied to protest PX project around Renmin Road.
— 周锋锁 Fengsuo Zhouさん (@ZhouFengSuo) 2013年5月16日
For more information, see SCMP’s Patrick Boehler’s profile last year of Yunnan’s governor, Li Jiheng, “apparently an environmentalist,” as Boehler tweets.
The following pictures are all via Eyler’s Twitter account:
There is also an anti-PX plant Facebook page.
More updates as they become available.
UPDATE, 4:52 pm: SCMP, which has great ongoing updates, found this video:
