Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported that on the100th anniversary of the “May 4th Movement,” Beijing’s major universities stepped up their alerts. The police also took away five left-wing students who supported the labor movement activities. They currently have no contact with the outside world.
This Saturday, May 4th, was the 100th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement in China. Recently, most colleges and universities in Beijing increased inspections on campus. Every day, plainclothes police cars have been stationed at the entrance to Peking University. A local resident who did not want to be named told reporters on Friday that the university campus in Zhongguancun had recently stepped up its alerts. School personnel and students have had to present their credentials when entering the campus. Foreigners have been required to register personal identification cards and other information. The guard at the receptionist area would then further verify the details.
The “May 4th Movement” took place on May 4, 1919. Young students called on citizens and business people to participate in demonstrations, petitions, and strikes to protest against the then Chinese Beiyang government’s disregard of public opinion and they shouted to fight against the infringement of foreign countries’ powers and for the punishment of those officials who were pro-Japan while they advocated saving the country with science and democracy.
An RFA article stated that, 70 years later, in 1989, when college students in Beijing commemorated the passing of Hu Yaobang, general secretary of the Communist Party of China, they also called out the slogan of the May Fourth Movement. The government finally used force to suppress them. Since the 100th anniversary of the “May 4th Movement” is in this year, Beijing is extremely sensitive about this date.
Source: Radio Free Asia, May 3, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-05032019092522.html