Thanks to the cool cats at Danwei I was alerted to a story that happened a mere hour drive north of me in the city of Jishou.  Apparently a large protest took place in the Prefectural capital of Jishou, blocking roads and railways.  The protesters were protesting a fundraising firm that had taken their money and run, apparently after they had tried talking to the government.  The BBC reported there being as many as 10,000 protesters.

China Daily: Hunan clamps down on illegal fund-raising

Local authorities in central China’s Hunan Province on Sunday started probing into 12 companies involved in illegal fund-raising cases after a dispute led to lenders’ demonstration on Wednesday and Thursday, blocking roads and railways.

The government of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture issued a notice on TV, radio and newspapers on Sunday, telling the public that working teams had been sent to the enterprises on suspicion of illegal fund-raising and a probe into their assets had began.

The notice said the executives of the suspected enterprises and relevant financial information would be put under control.

The prefectural capital of Jishou city ordered all underground fund-raising activities to stop and suspected enterprises to suspend paying interest before the probe ended.