The Wire

As paranoia sweeps through China in reaction to protests in the Middle-East, Chinese authorities have responded by enforcing a crackdown on foreign media. In the biggest crackdown in two decades, the situation has deteriorated into violence against journalists and activists after there was an anonymous call for protests across China, labeled the Jasmine Revolution. The Chinese Government has inevitably changed journalistic rules, resulting in television crews not being able to film in public without first seeking permission of everyone in the frame The Australian Government has voiced concerns over the situation, calling on the Chinese security authorities to exercise restraint when dealing with protestors and to release those who have been detained for expressing political views.