Standing up to the iron fist of the party

As the world gets ready for Christmas, protests have erupted across China. The protests were sparked by a tragic fire in Urumqi, which killed ten people, and anger over the country’s restrictive Zero-COVID policy. While protest is more common in China than people think, the last two days have seen a character of dissent not seen in China since 1989.

Last updated: 24. July 2025