2022年底，中國各地爆發了大規模抗議活動，民眾手舉白紙，抗議嚴苛的封控政策，並喊出了要求自由的口號。這場被稱為“白紙運動”的抗爭，標誌著中國公民社會在極權壓制下的覺醒。
起因：烏魯木齊火災
11月24日，新疆烏魯木齊一棟高層住宅發生火災，造成至少10人死亡。由於嚴厲的封控措施，消防車無法及時進入小區，居民也無法逃生。這場悲劇點燃了全國民眾的怒火。
抗議蔓延全國
隨後，上海、北京、廣州、成都等多個城市的市民走上街頭。在上海烏魯木齊中路，示威者高喊“共產黨下台，習近平下台”的口號，這是自1989年以來罕見的直接針對最高領導人的公開抗議。
白紙的象徵意義
示威者手舉白紙，既是對審查制度的嘲諷——“你想說什麼我們都知道”，也是無聲的抗議。白紙成為了這場運動最鮮明的符號。
政府的鎮壓與後續
雖然抗議活動促使政府在12月突然放棄了清零政策，但當局隨後對參與者進行了秋後算賬。許多年輕人，特別是女性抗議者，被秘密拘捕、審訊，甚至面臨刑事指控。
In late 2022, mass protests erupted across China. People held up blank sheets of paper to protest harsh lockdown policies and shouted slogans demanding freedom. This struggle, known as the "White Paper Movement," marked an awakening of Chinese civil society under totalitarian suppression.
The Trigger: Urumqi Fire
On November 24, a fire broke out in a high-rise residential building in Urumqi, Xinjiang, killing at least 10 people. Due to strict lockdown measures, fire trucks could not enter the compound in time, and residents could not escape. This tragedy ignited the anger of people across the nation.
Protests Spread Nationwide
Subsequently, citizens in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and other cities took to the streets. On Urumqi Middle Road in Shanghai, demonstrators chanted "Down with the CCP, Down with Xi Jinping," a rare public protest directly targeting the top leader since 1989.
Symbolism of the White Paper
Demonstrators held up blank sheets of paper, mocking the censorship system—"We all know what you want to say"—and serving as a silent protest. The white paper became the most distinct symbol of this movement.
Government Crackdown and Aftermath
Although the protests prompted the government to abruptly abandon the zero-COVID policy in December, authorities subsequently launched a crackdown on participants. Many young people, especially female protesters, were secretly detained, interrogated, and even faced criminal charges.