On 25 November protesters gathered outside the Chinese Embassy in London in solidarity with the imprisoned socialist labour activist Chai Xiaoming. Around 30 protesters chanted, “Free Chai Xiaoming!” and “Solidarity with Chinese socialists and Jasic activists!”
Chai was in court in Nanjing to face sentencing on the same day. He was found guilty of “incitement to subvert state power” at a trial two years ago, with no sentence until now. He could face up to five years in prison. He was arrested in 2019 in connection with the crackdown against the Jasic struggle of 2018, which demanded – unsuccessfully – the right to set up an independent trade union.
The London protest was organised by students. A statement was read out in solidarity with labour activists and students in China, demanding their immediate release. Despite the Chinese dictatorship’s widespread surveillance, persecution and harassment of dissident Chinese and international students overseas, there were still students and overseas Chinese bravely participating in the march.
A spokesperson for the action told chinaworker.info, “We will continue to support Chinese labour activists and socialists in their struggle to defeat dictatorship and build a truly democratic socialist society.”
For more background on Chai Xiaoming: Repression against China’s left intensifies
For more background on the Jasic struggle: New wave of repression against left student activists
