The administration seems to be taking three different approaches, widely varying in level of support for the demonstrators’ causes and retribution for the officials seeking to smother their message. Strongest: Iran. Much less forceful: China.
That’s not a criticism. It’s an assessment. The situation on the ground is vastly different: Iranian authorities have been beating and shooting demonstrators dead in the streets since September; the extent and duration of China’s crackdown isn’t clear, though there are credible reports of state violence against protesters and journalists, as well as heavy-handed censorship.
Over the weekend, thousands of Chinese took to the streets to protest leader Xi Jinping’s “zero-Covid” policies — three years of stringent lockdowns, mandated testing, lengthy quarantines, as well as censorship of dissent.
The depth and breadth of the demonstrations across many cities and university campuses immediately recalled the 1989 pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square that ended with the military massacring protesters in that historic Beijing landmark.
At the White House, officials expressed support on Monday for the protesters’ right to demonstrate — but kept their powder dry when asked whether the United States shares their goal of ending so-called “zero-Covid” policies.
“People should be allowed the right to assemble and to peacefully protest policies or laws or dictates that they take issue with,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
Asked for the U.S. reaction to some protesters calling for Xi to step down, Kirby replied: “The president is not going to speak for protesters around the world; they’re speaking for themselves.”
(A day earlier, Biden’s covid response coordinator, Ashish Jha, told ABC “lockdowns and zero-Covid is going to be very difficult to sustain” and it will be “very, very difficult” to contain the latest outbreak using that strategy.)
A Republican Senate aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity to be more candid, said imposing sanctions on Chinese officials cracking down on the protests — and any tech companies facilitating the process — should remain an option.
And Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said in a statement: “One way or another, in the coming months or in the coming years, the United States will hold accountable each and every CCP official responsible for atrocities against these protesters.”
So what about the World Cup being played in the Gulf monarchy of Qatar, which has faced scrutiny of alleged abuses of migrant workers and intolerance of LGBTQI+ identities?
Interestingly, the United States has directed some of its fiercest criticism not at the host country — whose officers have banned anything “rainbow” themed from stadiums because of that symbol’s connections to the LGBTQ+ community — but at FIFA, world soccer’s governing body.
After FIFA warned of drastic penalties against players wearing armbands supporting LGBTQ+ rights, Secretary of State Antony Blinken fired off: “No one on a football pitch should be forced to choose between supporting these values and playing for their team.”
At the same time, the White House kept its distance from the decision by U.S. Soccer to briefly post Iran’s flags without symbols associated with Iran’s religious leaders.
“USA Soccer is a private entity, and they make their…
Read More: Iran, World Cup, China: Three protests test the White House
