China Bans Major Crimes, Disasters, Mass Protests Ahead of Party Congress
The ruling Chinese Communist Party has issued orders to local officials and law enforcement banning the occurrence of any major crimes, including acts of terrorism or extreme acts of personal violence, and any mass gathering of people, including petitioners heading to Beijing to complain about the government. The move comes as President Xi Jinping seeks to silence dissent ahead of the 19th Party Congress, consolidating his power as a "core" leader of the party in the tradition of late supreme leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. An unsigned directive sent to neighborhood committees around the country identifies the three biggest threats to a successful Party Congress as any mass gathering of people "having nationwide impact," a terror attack, and any incident involving public safety.
