Chinese authorities on Friday ordered the arrest of 19 people for allegedly organizing protests by military veterans in two cities last year, state media reported.
The 19 people are accused of “gathering crowds to disturb social order” in the eastern cities of Pingdu in October or Zhenjiang in June and “intentional assault,” Xinhua news agancy reported, citing prosecutors.
The Zhenjiang rally was organized to protest the alleged beating of elderly ex-soldiers demanding better pensions, witnesses said at the time.
GOVERNMENT HEADACHE
The demonstrations highlighted the years-long struggle among former soldiers of the world’s biggest standing army to obtain better benefits, posing a headache for the country’s communist leadership.
Authorities in China have little tolerance for public dissent but the People’s Liberation Army and its veterans are venerated as heroes, and protests continued for days in the city of Zhenjiang before police intervened.
ACCUSATIONS
The nine suspected organizers of the the Zhenjiang protest allegedly assembled more than 1,000 people in front of the city government illegally and “engaged in violent confrontation with police and security staff,” Xinhua said.
In Pingdu 10 people were alleged to have organized veteran protests, during which Xinhua said demonstrators attacked the police, smashed cars and obstructed government operations.
PROMISES
Thousands of army veterans have staged protests in recent years against officials they accuse of denying them benefits.
The Chinese Ministry of National Defense vowed in 2016 to improve living standards for veterans after thousands demonstrated outside army offices in Beijing.
China has laid off more than a million troops since the 1980s and promised last year to further cut its two-million strong army.
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