to jail many young people who participated in the demonstrations all over the country. A young man, Xiao ?? from Dalian was sentenced to 10 years! for stating on TV that many people were killed in Beijing (of course he confessed the crime and stated that he deserved the punishment and went to jail). Everybody in Beijing (and elsewhere) had to provide proof that (s)he was not involved in the demonstrations. If it's found out that a person was involved, then (s)he would be punished (jailed, fired, expelled from school etc.). So it was not just stopping the "criminal" activities. It was a VERY chilling and dark period.