Photos show the true scale of the anti-COVID protests sweeping China
Jake Epstein
- Protests have erupted across China as anger over strict COVID policies boils over.
- Some anti-government demonstrations have called for the end of Xi Jinping's rule.
Anti-government protests have swept across China over the last few days as anger over the country's strict zero-COVID measures boils over into defiance against the Chinese government's rule.
Nearly three years into the pandemic, Chinese President Xi Jinping has maintained draconian policies to contain the spread of the virus — including intense lockdowns — but COVID-19 cases have still surged in recent weeks.
Despite the rise in cases, people are starting to speak out publicly against the measures. At one factory, workers even rioted and clashed with security guards.
Tensions erupted after a fire broke out at an apartment building last week in the western Xinjiang region, leaving 10 people dead. Locals allege the strict COVID measures kept people from fleeing the burning building, the BBC reported.
Since the fire, mass protests — which are rare in China — have spread to cities across the country, including Beijing and Shanghai, as people express their anger over the tragedy in Xinjiang and their frustrations with the government.
Some protesters have called for Xi and the Communist Party to be stripped of their power, and have held blank sheets of paper above their heads as a symbol of their defiance.
The protests — while not as intense as the deadly Tiananmen Square rallies — are still the largest since 1989 and photographs show the scale of the demonstrations.
Some protesters have held vigils during demonstrations
Anger boiled over after multiple people died in a fire in western China amid the country's strict lockdown requirements.
Protests have been largely peaceful, but there has been reported police violence
Though the demonstrations have been relatively peaceful, protesters in cities like Shanghai were met with police violence.
Protesters have used blank sheets of paper as a symbol of defiance
In one symbol of defiance against the government, demonstrators have elected to raise blank, white sheets of paper over their heads.
"The white paper represents everything we want to say but cannot say," a man named Johnny told Reuters during a protest near Liangma River.
People chanted, "No to our leaders, yes to voting. We won't be slaves, we are citizens," at a protest in Beijing on Sunday while holding up pieces of paper.
Protests are large in scale and widespread
Protests over the weekend took place in multiple Chinese cities and regions, including Shanghai, Xinjiang, Beijing, and Nanjing.
Quiet vigils have turned into angry demonstrations
Quiet vigils for those killed in the Xinjiang fire have turned into demonstrations, with people chanting "we don't want PCR tests" and urging a change in the country's leadership.
Some arrests have been made
According to a report from the BBC, police have arrested some protesters and sectioned off streets. It's unclear how many people have been arrested.
Censorship hides some protests content
Some content related to the ongoing protests, like hashtags or footage of demonstrations, has been censored from Chinese social media sites.
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