China cracks down on call for 'Jasmine Revolution'

BEIJING - Chinese authorities cracked down on activists Saturday as a call circulated online for people to gather in 13 cities Sunday for a "Jasmine Revolution."

The source of the call was not known, but families and friends reported the detention or harassment of several activists. Some said they had been warned not to participate Sunday.

Meanwhile, searches for the word "jasmine" were blocked on China's largest Twitter-like micro-blog, and Boxun.com, the Web site where the call first appeared, reported a denial of service attack.

Activists seemed not to know what to make of the call to protest, even as they passed it on. They said they were unaware of any known group being involved in the request for citizens to gather and shout: "We want food! We want work! We want housing! We want fairness!"

Some even wondered whether the call was "performance art" instead of a serious attempt to emulate Tunisia's "Jasmine Revolution" and protests in Egypt, Bahrain and elsewhere.

- Associated Press