Donations pour in for dissident artist

In China people have been donating money as part of a campaign to help Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei pay a tax bill of 1.7 million euros imposed by the authorities.

So far a total of around 575,000 euros have flooded in from nearly 20,000 people.

The internationally acclaimed artist was detained for nearly three months earlier this year amid an overall crackdown on dissent. A state-run newspaper has criticised the donors and warned their actions could be illegal.

The money has arrived in a variety of ways including some tossing cash folded into paper aeroplanes over the artist’s gate.

Mr Ai – who has sold artworks around the world – has admitted he does not need the money, and has vowed to pay people back later.

He said the donations are an expression of people’s feelings about the way he has been treated.

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