Students in two Chinese cities were ordered to attend classes over the weekend in the hopes of preventing more of the anti-Japan protests that have become rowdy in recent days, school officials and a human rights monitor said Saturday.
Rumors have been circulating that students would protest again this weekend, following several demonstrations that vented anger with Japan for its detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain. Last month, the fishing boat collided with Japanese patrol vessels near a chain of islands in the East China Sea that are claimed by both countries. The dispute quickly spiraled into a major diplomatic standoff, though tensions have begun to subside.
Classes will be in session from elementary schools to universites in the Sichuan province city of Deyang, said a woman at the city education bureau. Another woman at a middle school in the city said the move was intended to prevent students from joining protests over the weekend.
At a middle school in the Hunan province city of Changsha, another woman confirmed schoolclosures there, too, giving a similar explanation.
The Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said students in Changsha had been circulating Internet messages about a planned demonstration on Saturday. There were also plans for a protest in Deyang, it said, without elaborating.
University students in other Chinese cities were forbidden to leave their campuses, the center said.
No anti-Japan protests were reported to have taken place on Saturday.
Though the student protests last week began peacefully some spun out of control, with marchers carrying racist banners and smashing cars and windows at Japanese retailers. Authorities in China typically shut down protests quickly, but the demonstrations were initially tolerated.
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Associated Press researcher Henry Hou contributed to this report.
Students in two Chinese cities were ordered to attend classes over the weekend in the hopes of preventing more of the anti-Japan protests that have become rowdy in recent days, school officials and a human rights monitor said Saturday.
Rumors have been circulating that students would protest again this weekend, following several demonstrations that vented anger with Japan for its detention of a Chinese fishing boat captain. Last month, the fishing boat collided with Japanese patrol vessels near a chain of islands in the East China Sea that are claimed by both countries. The dispute quickly spiraled into a major diplomatic standoff, though tensions have begun to subside.
Classes will be in session from elementary schools to universites in the Sichuan province city of Deyang, said a woman at the city education bureau. Another woman at a middle school in the city said the move was intended to prevent students from joining protests over the weekend.
At a middle school in the Hunan province city of Changsha, another woman confirmed schoolclosures there, too, giving a similar explanation.
The Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said students in Changsha had been circulating Internet messages about a planned demonstration on Saturday. There were also plans for a protest in Deyang, it said, without elaborating.
University students in other Chinese cities were forbidden to leave their campuses, the center said.
No anti-Japan protests were reported to have taken place on Saturday.
Though the student protests last week began peacefully some spun out of control, with marchers carrying racist banners and smashing cars and windows at Japanese retailers. Authorities in China typically shut down protests quickly, but the demonstrations were initially tolerated.
---
Associated Press researcher Henry Hou contributed to this report.
