On Sunday, July 5th at around 9:30pm Beijing time, a riot began which has crippled Urumqi, the capital of China's Xinjiang province. As with any such event here in China, reports are sketchy and numbers vary drastically. Misleading photos and estimations are already circulating all over the web. Reliable details won't be available for at least another 24 hours, but here is a list of what can be confirmed:
- Many Uyghurs have taken to the streets of Urumqi, overturning vehicles and breaking store windows.
- Deaths have occurred (reports of three as of this writing, but not confirmed)
- A curfew has been set for all residents of Urumqi (official government-issued announcement)
- Most videos and pictures about this riot are being blocked in the mainland as soon as they appear on the internet.
What is not clearly known at this time is the reason for the riots...
If you are planning on traveling to Xinjiang anytime this week it might be wise to reconsider your plans. Security will definitely be tight and police on high alert at this time.
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