{"id":155514,"date":"2013-05-04T10:25:04","date_gmt":"2013-05-04T17:25:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=155514"},"modified":"2013-05-05T23:14:10","modified_gmt":"2013-05-06T06:14:10","slug":"protesters-in-kunming-and-chengdu-fight-pollution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2013\/05\/protesters-in-kunming-and-chengdu-fight-pollution\/","title":{"rendered":"Protesters in Kunming and Chengdu Fight Pollution"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in Kunming, Yunnan to protest plans by China National Petroleum Corporation to build a plant<\/strong><\/a> in a nearby town which would produce the hazardous chemical paraxylene (PX). From BBC:<\/p>\n

Some demonstrators wore symbolic masks and brandished posters warning against the dangers of a paraxylene (PX) spill.<\/p>\n

“We want to survive, we want health, get PX out of Kunming”, a banner read.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, protests against a PX factory in the city of Dalian forced the city government to close the plant, though it reportedly re-opened later.<\/p>\n

Saturday’s protest in Kunming, in the south-west of the country, attracted at least 200 people, according to state media.<\/p>\n

Chinese bloggers, however, put the number at up to 2,000.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

A Xinhua report claimed about 100 protesters gathered<\/a>, along with 1000 “onlookers” who were also wearing face masks and holding banners. But witnesses say the number of protesters was higher:<\/p>\n

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#Anti<\/a>-PX protest in kunming. News says 100s of protesters & 1000+ onlookers. But i saw different, teach-in style protest. All participated.<\/p>\n

— Brian Eyler (@aikunming) May 4, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n