A4 revolution

The so-called “white paper revolution” also called "A4 revolution was sparked by a deadly apartment fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi that killed 10 people and injured nine others. Many blamed the strict COVID-19 policies for slowing down rescue efforts at the apartment building, which had been in a state of lockdown for several months. 

Mass demonstrations first erupted in major cities across China in the end of 2022, protesters could be seen holding up the blank sheets of white paper, leading some to dub the protests the “white paper revolution” or the “A4 revolution” for the size of the standard sheet.