Protests and demonstrations are relatively rare in authoritarian China compared to other countries. However, in the wake of the economic problems, they have recently become more frequent again. According to surveys by the US organization Freedom House, observers recorded 805 cases of „dissent“ in the second quarter of this year alone, 18 percent more than in the same period last year. Protests by workers (44 percent) and homeowners (21 percent) accounted for the majority, writes the Washington-based non-governmental organization.