Workers revolution
The week's news at a glance.
Zhejiang, China
Peasants furious about a battery factory’s toxic waste set fire to the factory and police cars this week, in a riot that left dozens injured. The protesters were demanding the factory in Zhejiang Province be closed, or moved, claiming the local environment is being polluted by its lead emissions. Police used tear gas and riot sticks to break up the protest—sending at least 60 people to the hospital with minor injuries—then allegedly beat up residents of local villages in retribution. That night, a mob of 5,000 villagers struck back by breaking into government offices and setting fire to police cars. It was the latest clash between the government and increasingly unruly peasants, who are angry about corruption, pollution, and a growing income gap between the rich and poor. The government acknowledges there were more than 74,000 protests last year.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raids
In the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?
Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classrooms
Pros and cons The devices could be major distractions