A demonstrator beaten up by riot police in Linwu, Hunan, on Thursday. Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo
A demonstrator beaten up by riot police in Linwu, Hunan, on Thursday. Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo
This picture taken on July 17, 2013 shows people guarding the body of fruit seller Deng Zhengjia in Linwu county, central China's Hunan province. Chinese urban enforcers beat to death a roadside fruit seller in a dispute, reports said Thursday, highlighting abuses by the units and provoking outrage online. Photo: AFP
This picture taken on July 17, 2013 shows people guarding the body of fruit seller Deng Zhengjia in Linwu county, central China's Hunan province. Chinese urban enforcers beat to death a roadside fruit seller in a dispute, reports said Thursday, highlighting abuses by the units and provoking outrage online. Photo: AFP
The area where the Hunan watermelon vendor was allegedly beaten to death by city management officials. Photo: SCMP
The area where the Hunan watermelon vendor was allegedly beaten to death by city management officials. Photo: SCMP
Chengguan
Comment /  Opinion

Could a Hunan hawker be the one to ignite China's very own Arab Spring?

Can the death of a Chinese watermelon seller trigger the same tidal change that the death of a vegetable vendor in Tunisia did across the Middle East?

Patrick Boehler
Patrick Boehler

Updated: 8:27am, 21 Jul, 2013

Why you can trust SCMP
A demonstrator beaten up by riot police in Linwu, Hunan, on Thursday. Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo
A demonstrator beaten up by riot police in Linwu, Hunan, on Thursday. Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo
This picture taken on July 17, 2013 shows people guarding the body of fruit seller Deng Zhengjia in Linwu county, central China's Hunan province. Chinese urban enforcers beat to death a roadside fruit seller in a dispute, reports said Thursday, highlighting abuses by the units and provoking outrage online. Photo: AFP
This picture taken on July 17, 2013 shows people guarding the body of fruit seller Deng Zhengjia in Linwu county, central China's Hunan province. Chinese urban enforcers beat to death a roadside fruit seller in a dispute, reports said Thursday, highlighting abuses by the units and provoking outrage online. Photo: AFP
The area where the Hunan watermelon vendor was allegedly beaten to death by city management officials. Photo: SCMP
The area where the Hunan watermelon vendor was allegedly beaten to death by city management officials. Photo: SCMP
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