China Against The Metal Plants Project

21 people were released in China on July 4th. They were confined by the authorities due to their protest against metal plants, which they fear will poison them.

The south-western city of Shifang was the scene of a three-day long protest, with thousands of people protesting against the possibility that the government allows copper alloy plants to be built. The problem is that they are a threat to environment.

It seems that 27 suspected criminals were taken away by the police for breaking the door of the municipal government building and windows, and throwing bricks and stones at government and police workers.

On the day after their confinement, locals started a massive sit-in during the night, demanding that they are released.

While six of them were left in police custody, the other 21 were released after being criticized and educated, and were repenting for their mistakes, according to the government.

It was very surprising that on the day after the protests, the government fully cancelled the metal plants building project by Shanghai-listed Sichuan Hongda.

This protest shows that people in this one-party controlled state are finally starting to fight for their rights, at least when it comes to environment. There have been similar protests in other cities, such as Dalian and Haimen.

Even though the protest completed its goals, some people have asked for punishment of those responsible for the violent clash between protesters and the police. Reuters have been informed by witnesses that the protesters were beaten by the police.

There have been people calling for this all over the internet. Comments such asking about justice being delivered on the authorities based on the fact that they used violence on the protesters were in abundance. They demand that the political leaders guilty for this are sent to prison in the same way that those 27 protesters were.

What happened exactly is that on July 2nd thousands of citizens attacked the city government headquarters and police cars, which resulted in the anti-riot police firing tear gas on them.

This event has been emblematic of the rising anger of the public against the Chinese leaders who have an obsession with maintaining stability and balancing economic growth and people’s disapproval of all the environmental threats.

The government has promised to clean the country’s skies and waterways, and did its best to respond to public complaints about pollution. The fault lies with local officials who disregard environment in search of investment and revenue.