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The Department of Foreign Affairs has said that it is aware of possible threats against Westerners in Beijing this Christmas.
It joined other foreign embassies in China as it issued a warning notice today about possible threats in a popular Beijing neighbourhood ahead of the Christmas holiday.
The notice, from the US and British governments, covered the popular shopping and nightlife area of Sanlitun. The Irish, and French and Australian embassies referred to the American warning on their websites.
It is rare for governments to issues warnings of this kind for Beijing.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs warned Irish people in Beijing to exercise caution over the Christmas:
The Irish Embassy is aware of reports that there may be possible threats against Westerners in the Sanlitun area of Beijing, on or around Christmas Day. Irish citizens are urged to be vigilant and to closely follow the instructions of local authorities.
Occasional threats
The Sanlitun area has been the site of occasional violence against foreigners, including a grisly murder in August when a Chinese attacker stabbed a French man and his Chinese wife with a sword. The woman later died from her injuries.
Mass attacks in Beijing are very rare, although in October 2013 five people were killed and dozens injured when a vehicle ploughed into crowds in Tiananmen Square, with the suspects appearing to be mostly from the restive Xinjiang region.
Beijing described the incident as a terrorist attack.
The US embassy’s statement on its website today urged citizens to be vigilant, while the British embassy made a similar warning, saying it had received information about possible threats against Westerners on or around Christmas.
The Irish, French and Australian embassies passed on the warning to their citizens.
Heightened security
Photos on social media showed a heightened police presence in front of a Sanlitun shopping centre home to major international brands.
They also showed a camouflage van surrounded by men armed with rifles wearing fatigues in a plaza near one of Beijing’s two embassy districts.
The city’s police department issued a yellow alert Thursday, the second level in a four-tier system, according to a post on its social media account.
A yellow alert is issued when authorities have information about a significant and approaching threat to public security, state media said. They can relate to natural disasters as well as issues linked to social order.
The alert, expected to last through New Year, would “ensure good social order during the upcoming holidays”, police said, adding that it was due to “the gradual increase of shopping promotions, celebrations and entertainment activities”.
It did not offer any more details, but the measure comes after a stampede in Shanghai last New Year’s Eve that left over 30 dead and was blamed on poor crowd control.
With reporting from Cormac Fitzgerald.
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This is only the tip of the iceberg to the abuse the Iranian people suffer under the Islamic regime especially women and minority groups! Hopefully one day this nation will be free from the terror of their government. Rest in peace Mahsa Amini.
The wonderful Iranian people have been living with this insanity since 1979.We have neighbours who fled Iran at that time ,they were given the choice or conversion to Islam or a bullet in the head .
Remember that time the Bankers were pissed off with an Iranian leader who nationalised Iranian Oil for the benefit of Iranian people, that was weird…… I wonder how that went?
It’s almost as weird as the way thejournal.ie and the AFP are brilliant at reporting on public protest against governments who do not comply with Bankers policy agendas, in resource rich far flung nations…… But these “NEWS” outlets seem to struggle to notice or report on widescale public protests against the harmful effects of Bankers monopolistic policies (SDGs, ESG, UN Agenda 2030 etc.), when they take place in Germany, France, Italy and Netherlands.
@Special_Ed: Your comparing marbles and rocket ships. Ridiculous comment
Power to the women there. RIP to the victims.
Religion poisons everything.
@Allora: extremist religion poisons everything
@Melissa OHara: no. All religion.
@Dearbhla O Reilly: this is incorrect. Here’sone example as to why you are wrong:
Those who practice the catholic religion today are mostly respectful and decent people. Their religion is a guide for how they can live their life in a positive and loving way. I know this as an atheist who’s parents are dead sound and I’ve done ok for myself.
@Paolo Fandango: I should have added ‘who’s parents are catholic and dead sound’
@Paolo Fandango: thats not an example. That’s an opinion. Amazing how mamy believers of Religious doctrine seem to have difficulty separating things like belief, opinion, example, fact.
@Paolo Fandango: ye taking the p I s s or wha?
@Allora: Religion poisons everything.
@Paolo Fandango: most people who practice most religions are mostly respectful and decent people, it is not just a catholic trait. In fact most religions teach the common theme of loving thy neighbour as thyself or doing to others as they would wish do to themselves and, ironically, you could be practicing the basic teaching of many religions and not just one. It is the few individuals, whether it be priests or nuns or fanatics, that destroy the reputation of all religions yet we may practice the fundamental teachings without being in the institution.
So awful in this day and age.. Between this diabolical situation and the Russian war and climate change Humanity is at a cross roads.. May we all do the right thing..
That title is such poor English
@Fintan O’Halloran: I don’t follow you ?
@Gerry Campbell: Would you following follow him though?
Someone will be along in minute to blame the US for this.
@John Black: Now that you mention it..
https://www.npr.org/2019/01/31/690363402/how-the-cia-overthrew-irans-democracy-in-four-days
Imagine they had a morality police here lol
dear john black as an Iranian we believe American and democrats and ayatollah BBC are to blame .back in 1979 and even before that .they help current regime to come to the power and since they have taking advantage of every country in middle east because of their created regime as an enemy,and they don’t care about democracy and close their eyes to what’s happening in Iran now .
Almost 70 years ago Billy.
@John Black: The effects of which are still being felt today.
have your say