BEIJING (AP) – China will hold a massive military parade through the heart of its capital, but ordinary folks can’t watch.
Authorities obsessed with security and leery of any possible hitches will virtually shut down central Beijing on Thursday, keeping most people out of eyeshot for the parade commemorating the defeat of Japan in World War II. Residents who live along the parade route have received notices ordering them to stay off balconies, keep windows shut, invite no guests and – at some buildings – snap no pictures.
“I am eager to watch the parade, but I understand it’s impossible for everyone to have the chance to see it,” said a Beijing lawyer who identified himself only by his surname, Yao. “I think watching the live broadcast will be a good alternative.”
The neighborhoods around Tiananmen Square, the main venue where President Xi Jinping will inspect the troops with foreign dignitaries, will be under curfew, and Beijing has mobilized 850,000 neighborhood watchers to report anything even slightly out of the ordinary.
City roads will be closed, public bus service suspended and many subway stops sealed, while cordon tape will keep members of the public away from the parade. Authorities also are shutting down office buildings, shops, restaurants and even hospitals along the route for at least 24 hours. Some buildings are staying shut for three days.