On September 17, 2012, the state-sponsored Caixin Magazine published a report entitled "
Closer Look: How a Protest in Beijing Stuck to the Script." An excerpt:
A nearby street was filled with police, most of them relaxed. When I photographed the protest, he smiled and said: "You can join the protest."
"Can I? Won't I be pulled out?" I asked.
"Since it is me who let you in, who dares pull you out!" he said.
"But I haven't applied for permission," I said.
"It is OK. The organizer has applied," he said.
A middle-aged policeman also encouraged me to join the parade.
"Can I shout 'Punish corruptions'?" I inquired.
"No, you can't!" the middle-aged officer said, suddenly seriously.
"Only slogans concerned with Diaoyu Islands are allowed," a young policeman chimed in.
我们用手机拍照,一位年纪大约二十七八的警察笑眯眯地动员我:到队伍里面去拍吧,跟着他们走一圈。我问:我能进去吗?不会撵我出来?他继续动员:我让你进的还有谁会撵你?我说:我没有申请啊。不用,带头的人申请就行了。他说。
一中年警察也动员我们加入到游行队伍中去,我问:“我喊惩治腐败行吗?”他神情严肃地冲摆手:“不行。”一边的年轻警察插话:“只能喊与钓鱼岛有关的。”
The following photos were taken at the protests, and show what kind of slogans the police presumably deemed to be permissible.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HcLJmjo6WklExbJJjH9KUUBJUkgx38oOC75uDmkPMvR2Is9DYNxT_IK7SxOs_s_Gg95AbXCIxI4FgNi4l09jxN12ArAopnvPgWwPIGccnOXr9_WBoyLzmMhfdObGBvljdOhXsxVDXmS0/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-BatheJapanInBlood.jpg) |
"China is of one heart, bathe Tokyo in blood." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYqpOCJqtQAsecAhXJo9jSnxQsnm1h98dQ9b9sJCRUXeyasNqRSlzX6w7aCy35r8FKFRtf9mi-yg68I_do8VR5s63WuCLpue-ERFN2W7YEVoFWJWSipSc2Vj-YkraqxvonSRq7eNhTKaW/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-BurnFlagFuckYou.jpg) |
Protesters burn a Japanese flag while others hold poster saying: "Fuck You." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6-K70_aKDbuYCfh2Ei2DvRoxMCEI9Yohk4QrAEeyfTiSYFMemlWa-3BMIOQONS5ecwlCqcpfDcTMV56lE88ZtVlI7UhmGBbZSEqk4vQQg_vkFAc2P7FNxxW7d54m0dvZWwTn1idxP9bJ/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-CallGovernmentDeclareWar.jpg) |
"Our hatred is irreconcilable / We beg the government to launch a war." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYsvE2nQGJu2seSeHk6z9BtNg2r6Yeire4xGoCF_DOMVVUC97n1-MnixrImtl8KGLNKk7CPRdHc1pBsYUE56FQZlPt-TD4R4sBJMSiiRaWV39RE7T4-_avUqUAwsE6p5T73EdvZjP4Q4J/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-CannotNegotiateDeclareWar.jpg) |
"Boycotting Japanese good begins with me.
Anger without action is meaningless.
There is no negotiating issues of sovereign territory, there is only war." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTj1XC4631osF-pa1KP79mFNaC0_xYmmsZbWyterTPhv354Aom-0tD2ZFlSBnLwmR3TEjzau-oJfsDlJAxpLyIQkGNlYiuX6JdVd6JI_77EO5jLONWqttMN8rLfrpBfP2wfO2b6GvxhRsA/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-ChildDeclareWarOnJapan.jpg) |
"Declare war on Japan." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9xqHZaJJi06MYRvMw0Qy7SuKclS2nONacKvqRUfJY3P7LsIuTxwjccNXXf8JxisfOLc3NZR80AoeP3_nszfvDdhMx89CCrPGkkdpxixD8lPjohu1DFqhF4DIKuDepTstgE7geJBkI38T/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-ChinaUnanimousWipeOutJapan.jpg) |
"China is unanimous, Destroy little Japan." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSeP-azkBbqjWL4aziKjT0DdgjRBAuUXeuIhIQNE_EFO8KTRI4D0faHkwLkBrMkvtUGvM02rM7g_6Yti57-ldPgXJrx4RHD4Pw_aLPUGdKptupK3r4ZZd6mIW8dbBTWxalDezk-BbuTTeU/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-CutOffJapaneseHeads.jpg) |
The red banner reads: "Cut off the heads of the Japanese devils with six cuts." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMG6KZvoKdKToT7fry7Yq7qrC58xzg819OZYlr3FSO_itG_te36dN_5Sc60f3-iTh9mcmHz8UJnn03PEcbLq6KDFkvyzkdAY-QZBZpRFopwi883Z-8kBtKq42s5HF-eDU7LIC6mEbS943_/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DeclareWarBloodForBlood.jpg) |
"Declare war on Japan, Blood debts paid must be paid in blood." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDj82zxW1nnqUipe3rlm55eZEMKdg9JE7KpIt_2lRGCVPFhmHq1gLqNMJoTaQxM1t_xonuQ33mZt3p8X3uLl-Dy3aSW46Xwt96qv5zTHqAcbkbjWefcwfHNOMaxfH4uw-Yj4oXiGnRfVD9/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DeclareWarFuckJapan.jpg) |
The sign on the left reads: "Japanese assholes, get the fuck out of China." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt8eWRLiI_t5mVsC486gK3SKoY3Ln8tOJ4P_JxwZa5UCWLyEsRHSJhQu_eEzNB61Ns6kMA6bz3fxD3wgKmwT4JpVYl-X3VpOGhp4BWBFOXpZTzP_C4iU7Pem7944q-GzJSu0dov1pbzU8F/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DeclareWarIDonate10k.jpg) |
The sign on the right reads: "Declare war on Japan / I will donate 10k." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVHMwhD-RcNTtlTE4zpxgqgGdIuG4-FyEJGKi47Ch_-m_Jvab98xq-mB3JQUJU3VTfPkETifR7aqE8VzNrKhxO_GSymXEeAbwzAhyphenhyphenh1tSo-4ypjeoowIk14DMwOJQzy55_w9zzsLPPW-J/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DeclareWarTShirt.jpg) |
The Mao t-shirt reads: "Start a war." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p-3QJIMvpGQs95C7UU77x269bZMi5redQ-AfZLul_N2WIb90ZXpsqGUMRRj8fAXtmmukuogA5Ku5m0u57UNhqWXbLbojnrdZ_0bqaH0ooauigxprFhvWa3ZJd2D3dJnEvgyCKJUBIvMD/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DestroyJapanEvenIfDestroyChina.jpg) |
"Bring down Japan even if it means the country's land is rendered barren." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcBxg3pt0NSgyujnTffZJZDkK5jDh1tHFZ1AXJx9nAurZ3On0s1Smnlo-VH6K7nON7lz0GXiVEjD-wNM8hz8Yt0X8r4ZyiRxcFIRsgban2HHy37IThtpoUjuE0vIHJ1luMCHQaLwoxRmdg/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DieLittleJapanese.jpg) |
The sign under the pinwheel reads "Little Japanese / Go die!" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI54gcdRBZIW8hDebKLsOdzUhmnh9gjvS6Ac7EyAEqdb9JxGi_E2ET5Q1v6G3DjA2A91Bb56ZOaDrM82Xnghh6yoRh6ByoxwJ7uraXLgs6gmSN4nKLtRKaX8vUdrfIrRT1DsN1qX_8r4s2/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-DontWatchAV.jpg) |
The t-shirt says: "Blow up Japan / I can stop watching AV."
("AV" is a reference to Japanese adult films.) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq59FQaDgdwOco1glGPK44Q4QrZNeczG1T48Y3J1y1r_NC25FLFr6dYGef7HzfZklZ8Lx9vt2DenFiHFR5XbcKUyuLPKVHI85jQXsBRX-QVVNKaQ8WGyisqXsSO0DbByt-VU08GMeMbKX_/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-FlattenTokyo.jpg) |
"Flatten your Tokyo" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoe5CvqoPloDNeL1JNW7hhdoarvkLbtK9hu5sJofG25kth6ylp6-sV7QNWOBbTgddd1i51dH17_qJaNNfEizYPtpUFl-b0erCoZhZLKYItV59BR8Z7otb9uHVztINDwn_ZH8GSmFWgTiI/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-FlattenTokyoReturnDiaoyuIslands.jpg) |
"Flatten Tokyo / Return my Diaoyu Islands" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizVvwewLACc4hBKJNa1cgCGGY59mPDCzcAtFucx-fIbns1bt7zWquH7ei7ygsc4mLPboTdDjUVkn97jGaRFhM2rvOOZfP_gpANUwbcB9sfHjk-QORyOx7tWCyTm5ekVgSwb5uo9EVC9y7X/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-KillAllJapanse.jpg) |
"Take back the Diaoyu Islands, even if it means killing everyone in Japan." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzXmAaigQ21psAML3rySVPH-6hNMuDUgcKhFr2jPEUWkYIKidOC49EGDPxtKpbn0O-BjDLo88yiuO92feYM8G4vHS83VWk2dQjgrQGSr9Op9XWfuvqAFXb3XbGg96Avse4qmqioF4ufN4/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-KillAllJapanseCaoNi.jpg) |
"Slaughter all little Japanese, return my Diaoyu Islands." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCi-fhZib4pvEDyBEFG4F1yKPWat7cCbn0M7zsz5Qz4guGw96htBu5rxjz5XGMzALanqg4k35rLgdwpAsHfA2MK6haelauV05YHr8YF0gsIX7YKXCpWDC6SshNjhwecPyHkjVPMuZuvAx2/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-KillJapaneseDogs.jpg) |
"China should take action and kill the Japanese dogs." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQIVLAWcv2gUBqzvQ4xfc4kozGkfG-YYiMAJ8bGiEM1r7G7SLYKBWSkFLOM1g0vgFxg8TPbgboeMWdP_6dS7rjbrQ6Yqit5eaj0wys-ZwsW7AvjTSkUKIkiB5sbAZEgdV9ehZfjRutlBr/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-MaoComeBack.jpg) |
"Chairman Mao come back soon
Little Japanese are invading us again." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_0fDe8P4WaDSmblFy9Pm7L2dahd8mRr3MJj_N-bB6OqYTQyuz7KNEP6PH81GBwduCKugnXeRdHNVHpb67ga3hyphenhyphenT88g7to0MxnW0BnVvVaXxPuHotoX8q95q2H3vM3ibB69KxZN5MabD9/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-NoNegotiatingUseViolence.jpg) |
"Defend the Diaoyu Islands / Don't bother with negotiating / Resolve this with armed force." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeAmDnJuzKLVhhJwBqYcjqkSXAzOFMqraXJlv_ExhFgqqOeDbAAJqrFumPGkqEyx2Xhkb3nYx9hM0Fs1BdjqUNnoHSklUOGx4y0U_eO-zPoKv5VrjFmeaTC3x6uO8ynaYoNt6-aeItHiT/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-SolaAoiBelongsToWorld.jpg) |
"The Diaoyu Islands Belong to China
Sola Aoi Belongs to the World"
(Sola Aoi is a Japanese adult film star) |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUa8w8k3vztfRbxTPro1ApkrcjX1P8bo4khmGoCZvxKTcjnUYmlsRU_YHPP_IzHF278hpSc85DxtIn1SUatBblhIGwAVqJmdJABBAX9XMvjaT4Vc7OG6PXUcIJltVrFkX_ZPSk-gGlcbi/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-SonPissOnYou.jpg) |
The man behind the boy is holding a sign saying:
"Japanese devils / Get the hell out of the Diaoyu Islands, otherwise I will
let my son piss on you." |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic0BKdwuZvuWxhth-K89XIgPNxmhmtCmyvkG3vqb7f1QGhoFTlMvjRrrjUR_g8FvGrsds0m2QbKzP70Q1ZZTB2pMmWAVYCYY309Xd1ijTWPGtZW6lNesVFBZehYsuOqr1qcwGq4jAfW4EZ/s400/JapanEmbassyProtests-Sign-ThisColorSucksFlattenLittleJapan.jpg) |
The white banner reads: "Flatten Tokyo." |