
THE ST PATRICK’S Day parade in the Chinese city of Shanghai has been cancelled by the country’s government over fears of protests.
The Irish Times reports that China’s government has made the move over fears that the ‘jasmine revolution’ under way in the Middle East and Arab world will spread to their country.
The parade, which moves along Shanghai’s most famous street Nanjing Donglu, attracts thousands of visitors ever year and is part of a four-day event but organisers have been refused permission to stage the parade there or anywhere else in the city.
China’s government appears to be increasingly wary of the possibility of the revolutions in the Arab world spreading to their country.
Its government censors recently removed a video of its own president singing a song ‘Jasmine Flower’ from the country’s internet.
Menawhile, Moscow has also cancelled its St Patrick’s Day parade as part of the Russian capital’s battle against traffic jams, AFP reports.
Unpredictable weather conditions have also been cited as a reason for the cancellation.
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