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In mass protests across China, goals go beyond easing COVID rules

Anger over China’s zero-COVID-19 policy erupted in rare protests across the country this weekend, with thousands of ordinary citizens taking to the streets in Urumqi, Beijing, and other cities to call for freedom.

While China’s draconian lockdowns have previously generated sporadic resistance, the latest demonstrations mark an unprecedented show of national solidarity and defiance – not only against the COVID-19 constraints but against the tightening of political controls under Xi Jinping since he took power in 2012.

Why We Wrote This

In China, large-scale protests have erupted across the country in response to draconian COVID-19 restrictions. As the protests spread, so does the cause – demonstrators are now calling for all kinds of freedoms in a rare show of national unity.

The theme of liberty ran through the protests, with some demonstrators calling for freedom of speech and the press, rule of law, and democracy. Others held up blank sheets of paper as a nod to state censorship, and called for Mr. Xi and the Communist Party to “step down.”

“We were shouting slogans until 1 or 2 in the morning,” said a factory worker who protested with thousands of others in Shanghai Saturday night. “We knew we were making history.”

Experts say Mr. Xi’s policy has unified Chinese across the country from all walks of life.

“It’s very, very rare that you can see a political protest … nationwide,” says human rights activist Xiao Qiang. “The [COVID-19] policy restrictions affect every single one of Chinese citizens, whether restaurant owner or migrant worker or peasant or business executive – they all suffered living under this.”

Anger over the excesses of China’s zero-COVID-19 policy erupted in rare protests across the country this weekend, with thousands of ordinary citizens taking to the streets to call for freedom and even directly challenge the ruling Communist Party and its leader Xi Jinping.

Huge crowds filled the streets in Urumqi in China’s far western region of Xinjiang on Friday, a day after 10 people there died, trapped in a burning building that was partially locked down. The incident – coming on the heels of a string of other fatalities linked to forced quarantines – sparked outrage and grief that erupted into broader protests Saturday and Sunday in Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, Beijing, and many other cities.

“We don’t want [COVID] tests, we want freedom!” demonstrators chanted as they marched in central Beijing last night. 

Why We Wrote This

In China, large-scale protests have erupted across the country in response to draconian COVID-19 restrictions. As the protests spread, so does the cause – demonstrators are now calling for all kinds of freedoms in a rare show of national unity.

“Everyone is angry about the anti-epidemic policy and can’t tolerate it anymore,” said Jia Yin, who joined a video call Monday with protestors in other cities to compare experiences and share advice. Withholding her real name for her protection, Ms. Jia recounted being surrounded by police during the peaceful protest in the southern city of Guangzhou on Sunday.

While China’s increasingly draconian lockdowns have generated sporadic resistance by citizens in recent months, the latest demonstrations mark an unprecedented show of national solidarity and defiance – not only against the COVID-19 constraints but against the tightening of political controls under Mr. Xi since he took power in 2012.

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