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Thousands Protest in Shishou, Just Another Day

June 20, 2009. In the city of Shishou, Hubei province, up to 40,000 people or more took to the street in protest. 10,000 riot police were called in.

The protesters were attempting to prevent police from taking away the dead body of young hotel chef Tu Yuangao who, according to them, had committed suicide by throwing himself from a hotel window. But the people did not believe the official version of the story; rather, they believed that Tu had been beaten to death and then thrown from the building. Signs of torture were found on his body, which the people said was already cold when it hit the ground. They believed that by taking away the body and "gathering" any evidence found on the scene, authorities would simply destroy any evidence of murder and produce a report which indicated the cause of death dictated by the government, then quickly burn the body.

It is reported that a local drug ring is run out of that particular government-owned hotel. The people of Shishou say that two waitresses died in the same way at the same hotel, according to bloggers. One in 1999, the other in 2007, in which it was suspected that the waitress was raped, killed, and then thrown out a window of the hotel.

The Chinese "Southern Metropolis Daily" also made public a photograph of the suicide note. The handwriting was incredibly sophisticated for a person who had only been to the third grade. Some even report that Tu was illiterate.

The people blocked entrance to the hotel for almost three days, while keeping the body on ice. Police vehicles were overturned and burned. Several violent clashes took place between the people and the police. Bricks and bottles were thrown at the police. Tear gas was used on the crowd. At least 200 protesters were injured. In a video on youtube, hundreds of protesters are seen surging toward police and throwing objects at them. The police then retreat.

But Xinhua, the government daily, reported "Most of the crowd remained to watch the police campaign, rather than protest."

After three days, the police entered the hotel and took away Tu's body.

On June 20, the local government’s website was defaced by hackers who called out for truth.

Just another day in the "People's" Republic, just another of the tens of thousands of protests which the government no longer publishes.

Sources:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/21/content_11576546.htm
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iumfVZ4WG02nmfqFHRUXkkdc5vxgD98V0OEG0
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/malcolmmoore/10122566/Tens_of_thousands_of_Chinese_fight_the_police_in_Shishou/
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSPEK69469
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/18520/
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20090621_1.htm

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