PROTESTS have erupted across Shanghai over China’s restrictive Covid lockdowns in rare act of defiance.
By chanting against President Xi’s removal on Saturday night, brazen crowds were put at risk of being sent to jail.
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Protesters shout slogans in video “Xi Jinping, step down, Communist Party, step down,” and “Unlock Xinjiang, unlock China, we want freedom”.
Prseident Xi won a third term as the Communist Party’s general secretary last month.
About 100 Urumqi police officers stood behind a wall to prevent protestors coming and going.
Other clips show people pushing and shouting against rows of men wearing white hazmat suits, which local government employees and volunteers for pandemic prevention wear.
China reported an unprecedented number of infections, and has since imposed severe restrictions to combat the virus. This is almost three years ago after the outbreak in Wuhan.
This is the latest sign of frustration over China’s aggressive approach to COVID-19.
This is the country that has the most to fight the pandemic via mass testing and lockdowns.
China has a vast security system that makes protests risky everywhere in China. But they’re extraordinary in Xinjiang where there have been years of a violent security crackdown.
Since August, many people in Xinjiang were under house arrest.
Many residents have been denied the right to leave their home and others have complained of dire living conditions that include insufficient food delivery, which has led to people going hungry.
This comes after other demonstrations broke out in Xinjiang, where 10 people died in an apartment fire that was caused by the restrictions.
Pandemic control barriers may have prevented fire engines from moving, according to locals.
The city had 220 cases of new patients on Friday. Most were not symptomatic.
Beijing has also been placed under lockdown in accordance with China’s harsh “Zero Covid” lockdown measures.
Schools, bars, restaurants, gymnasiums, beauty salons, etc., have been closed for the week.
Residents living in the city centre cannot move unless they pass a Covid test and are granted permission by local authorities. “unless necessary”.
Yesterday, a Chinese national was detained for protesting the unrest of lockdown. An angry mob freed him.