They all exhibit the same, unchanging pattern: the government, whether in Beijing or the localities, tolerates the low-decibel, smaller-scale, relatively non-disruptive marches and sit-ins by demonstrators bearing petitions and posters, especially if they appear to be spontaneous, un-organized, localized and leaderless.
政治精英层对于那些可能由持不同政见者发动的，带有明显暴力性质的，体现出某种组织性的，以扩大化相威胁的或造成交通主动脉堵塞的动乱则不那么包容了。的确，在中国大陆之外得以报道的少数事件往往都包含抗议者卧轨或阻塞城市主干道，攻击权力机关或与之发生冲突，拘留和逮捕等因素。