Chinese protesters demand bank deposits with security personnel

The Chinese national flag is reflected in the announcement of a commercial bank at a branch of a commercial bank in a commercial area of ​​Beijing, China, on January 9, 2013, with the Chinese yuan emblem. REUTERS / Kim Kyung-hon

BEIJING, July 10 (Reuters) – A number of people protesting the freezing of deposits by a number of rural banks in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou said they were injured on Sunday when heavy handguns Personnel protested.

Banks froze millions of dollars worth of reserves in April, telling customers they were improving their internal systems. Read more Banks have not issued any communication on the matter since then, the lenders said.

No bank has responded to feedback emails or phone calls. Chinese media have reported that the value of the frozen reserves may be as high as 1.3 billion, and authorities are investigating the three banks.

On Sunday, about 1,000 people gathered in front of the Zhengzhou branch of China’s central bank to demand action.

Videos and photos on social media show depositors waving banners and holding plastic bottles close to security guards who then hurled stones at some protesters.

“I’m so upset I can’t even explain it to you,” one protester, Zhang, 40, told Reuters.

Zhang said he hopes to recover about 170,000 yuan (25 25,000) deposited with a bank at Zhejiang Huang Aviation Bank.

Zhang said he had injuries to his legs and toes and was taken away by four unidentified security personnel around noon. He said security forces had increased the number of protesters from three to one.

“They didn’t say we would be beaten if we refused to leave. They just said using a loudspeaker that we were breaking the law by filing a petition. It’s ridiculous. It’s the banks that are breaking the law.”

Reuters could not immediately be reached for comment.

The banks, which include Yuzhou Zhenmansheng Village Bank and Shanghai Huimen Country Bank, are under investigation by authorities for illegal financing, the state-run Global Times reported.

More than 1,000 savers from across the country planned to gather in Zhengzhou last month to withdraw their money but they were unable to do so when their COVID-19 health codes, which specify whether anyone could travel, Turning to “no travel” mode. . read more

Five officials were later convicted of abusing the health code system.

($ 1 = 6.6945 yuan)

Reporting by Martin Quinn Pollard and David Steinoy Edited by Robert Barcel

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