Global Times Says Ok to Advocate New Citizens' Movement, Constitutionalism, While Baidu Bans Forums on Those Topics

On January 23, 2014, the state-sponsored Global Times published an article entitled "Law Is No Threat to Citizen Movement" (依法审理许志永案，反对立场先行). Some excerpts:

Xu Zhiyong, a lawyer and main founder of the "New Citizens' Movement" in China, was charged with "gathering crowds to disrupt public order" and went on trial on Wednesday. Wang Gongquan, a well-known Chinese entrepreneur who had been detained but was out on bail yesterday, admitted he was also involved.
. . . .
Xu's effort to launch the "New Citizens' Movement" is not widely known to the Chinese public. Its influence can mainly be felt in academia and some groups of activists. Xu's advocacies, including constitutionalism, property disclosure of civil servants and education equality, can be expressed and are also echoed in Chinese society.

These advocacies are not incompatible with China's reforms. Xu, as well as other activists like him, will not likely be tried simply because they have these advocacies.

许志永涉嫌聚众扰乱公共场所秩序案22日上午在北京开庭审理。许志永是律师，因2003年孙志刚案成名，后成为“新公民运动”的主要发起人。据报道近日将有多起类似案件开审，但许志永案受到的西方关注最多。
. . . .
新公民运动”在中国社会并非很出名，知道许志永的人大多集中在知识界和舆论活跃圈里。“新公民运动”的影响主要通过互联网、尤其是微博扩散。客观而言，许志永等人明面上的主张，包括呼吁宪政，要求官员财产公开、教育平权等等，都已在中国社会有广泛的发声和表达机会，直到今天仍不断有人谈话、著文，展示同样诉求。

这些诉求同中国现实改革的关系是复杂的，但肯定不是截然对立的。许志永等人不会因为这些诉求本身在今天的中国遭到审判。

These screenshots were taken on January 25, 2014, and show that Baidu had banned its users from establishing PostBar (Tieba 贴吧) forums on "New Citizens' Movement," (新公民运动) "Constitutionalism," (宪政) and "Civil Servants" (官员).