Protesters continue demonstrating against strict coronavirus control measures, spreading to major cities throughout China.
Demonstrators in Beijing and Shanghai came together to register their protest.
Many people hold up one or more blank pieces of paper to express their discontent and acknowledge that they have been prohibited. Nevertheless, others have gone even further and taken action against Xi Jinping.
Mass testing, quarantines, and lockdowns are crucial measures that have affected millions over the past couple of years.
Consequences for ruling Communist Party leaders in China are frequently harsh for individuals who have grievances with them.
On Sunday, police in Shanghai arrested several people and cordoned off nearby streets to minimize risks from the protests.
Hundreds of people gathered on the banks of a river in Beijing on Sunday, gathering to hear the national anthem and speeches.
Several Chinese university students in Beijing’s prestigious Tsinghua University protested and sang the national anthem, as observed by photographs and video clips circulated on social media.
Protests were also held during the day in the central cities of Chengdu and Xi’an and the western city of Wuhan – where the outbreak of the Covid disease took place almost 3 years ago.
Reports of massive civil unrest in Wuhan, which includes images showing hundreds of protesters on the sidewalks, have gone viral on social media.
The latest wave of unrest is the natural consequence of the death of 10 Chinese citizens following an outburst in the southwestern city of Urumqi. Mainland authorities have been disputed in this regard.
Huge Police Presence During Protests
The recent wave of protests opposed to restrictions related to COVID-19 seems to be dying down due to enforcement efforts in many Chinese cities.
Shanghai police are making several arrests along the main protest roadway, and several barriers have increased. Large numbers of people have been stopped from taking photos and recording videos.
Nationwide riots transpired due to a fire in a block of high-rise buildings in Urumqi, western China, that killed 10 people on Thursday.
Various authorities assert that locals could have escaped the fire due to the closure of Cușna County, but evidence has not been released to verify this argument.
China is the only major economy with an ongoing strict zero-coronavirus policy, with local governments clamping down on even small outbreaks with mass testing, quarantines, and instantaneous lockdowns.
Images of anti-lockdown protests have emerged in cities and towns, including Shanghai and Beijing, as well as other major metropolitan areas, such as Chengdu and Wuhan.
Media censorship has taken an increasingly invasive turn in China as the Chinese community took to the streets in protest.
Dozens of posts have been filtered from search results amid media coverage of the present coronavirus pandemic. The media think positive stories about the World Cup will garner viewership against the rapidly evolving situation.
Protesters gathered at Hong Kong’s Central District on Monday, with hundreds descending on the Chinese University of Hong Kong campus.
BBC Journalist Detained During Riots
Ed Lawrence was at the center of the principal confrontation in the downtown area on Sunday. Police detained him for several hours before he was released.
Chinese authorities told reporters that Mr. Lawrence had not presented his press credentials.
On Sunday, he had been filming various crowds at the largest protest in Shanghai at Wulumuqi Middle Road.
Several police officers filmed capturing Mr. Lawrence and throwing him to the ground were extensively circulated on social media. The BBC reported that officers had beaten and kicked, and then handcuffed him.
At a press conference in Beijing on Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman did not address the recent police violence and arrest of an accredited foreign journalist.
Mr. Lawrence re-tweeted the BBC’s statement on Monday, mentioning that he was aware of at least one local who had also been apprehended “trying to prevent the police from beating me.”
While Chinese regulations permitted unfettered access to foreign journalists, they recognized that playwriting was expressly banned from being spread in China by any means.
