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Winnie the Pooh Protests: Why Demonstrators Mock Xi Jinping in the US
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Firstpost•25-09-2026, 13:22
Winnie the Pooh Protests: Why Demonstrators Mock Xi Jinping in the US
- •Protesters near the White House, during Xi Jinping's US visit, used Winnie the Pooh costumes to mock the Chinese leader and voice dissent against the Chinese government.
- •Chants of ‘Free Hong Kong,’ ‘Xi Jinping, you’re not welcome,’ and ‘Freedom for political prisoners’ were heard, with some protesters waving Taiwanese flags and advocating for religious freedom.
- •The Winnie the Pooh comparison to Xi Jinping originated in 2013 after a photo of Xi with Barack Obama was likened to Pooh and Tigger, leading to subsequent comparisons and the cartoon's ban in China.
- •Chinese authorities banned Winnie the Pooh imagery and references due to the perceived undermining of the presidential office and Xi's dignity, with censorship extending to social media and even a movie.
- •The use of Winnie the Pooh has become a symbol of dissent against the Chinese government, with protesters in Hong Kong and other regions adopting the imagery to criticize Xi Jinping's policies and authoritarian rule.
Key Questions Answered
Demonstrators wore Winnie the Pooh costumes outside the White House and Waldorf Astoria to mock Chinese President Xi Jinping and voice dissent against the Chinese government's policies.
The comparison began in 2013 when a social media user posted a photo of Xi walking with then US President Barack Obama next to an image of Winnie the Pooh walking with Tigger.
Chinese authorities banned the cartoon bear because the government viewed the viral internet memes as an effort to undermine the dignity of the presidential office and Xi Jinping.
