Why protesters mocked Xi in Washington with Winnie the Pooh
What's the story
As United States President Donald Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House, protesters took to the streets of Washington, DC. The demonstrators were seen wearing Winnie the Pooh costumes, a move aimed at mocking Xi and protesting against China's censorship policies. The protesters were heard chanting slogans such as "Free Hong Kong," "Xi Jinping, you're not welcome," and "Freedom for political prisoners."
Protest symbolism
Why are protestors mocking Xi with Pooh?
The choice of Winnie the Pooh as a protest symbol is significant, given that the character has been banned in China.
The ban was imposed after social media users compared Xi to the cartoon bear in 2013 and 2014.
This comparison became a source of embarrassment for Xi and his administration, leading to censorship efforts against images and references to Pooh.
Censorship measures
The censorship extended to banning 'Winnie the Pooh' on Weibo
In 2017, Chinese censors even banned the words "Winnie the Pooh" on Weibo and Baidu.
The movie Christopher Robinson was also blocked in China after comedian John Oliver mocked Xi's sensitivity over Pooh comparisons.
These censorship measures only fueled dissent among common people, who started using Pooh imagery to protest against government policies.
Global dissent
Pooh has been a symbol of resistance against Xi
The use of Pooh imagery has been a common form of protest against Xi's policies.
During the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, demonstrators wore Winnie the Pooh masks to mock Xi.
Amid COVID-19 lockdowns, Pooh imagery was also used in China to protest against strict measures.
In Japan, protesters held signs with a frowning Pooh looking at a blank sheet of white paper.