Video is circulating online which purports to show Chinese tanks lined up on the street outside a controversial bank in Henan which has frozen depositor accounts.

According to reports, the tanks were deployed in response to violent protests which erupted after the Henan branch of the Bank of China announced it was declaring depositor accounts “investment products,” instead of bank accounts, a classification which would prevent the money in the accounts from being withdrawn.

After a violent protest in Henan’s capital, Zhengzhou July 10th, authorities announced they would begin releasing funds back to depositors in batches, with the first release due on July 15th. One notice issued by Henan Provincial Financial Supervision Bureau said funds would begin being released to depositors in Henan villages and towns on July 15th. It is believed these releases either did not take place, or only were given to a very small group of depositors, prompting more violent protests.

Chinese state media has not made any comment about the state of the deposits that are to be returned.

Many non-mainstream media sources are commenting that as the once-every-five-years Communist party meeting approaches, where President Xi will have to make his case to continue his leadership, the government and establishment should be eager to quell these protests by returning the funds quickly. So the fact funds have not been returned is an ominous sign, possibly indicating the funds are no longer present in the banks, or available to be returned.

The video: