‘Xi Step Down’ : Unprecedented Anti-lockdown Protests Spread to Other Cities in China

Shanghai: Demonstrations against China’s stringent Covid restrictions continued for the fourth day on Monday. The protests have spread to several cities including the national capital Beijing. The demonstrators have been demanding a relaxation in harsh Covid curbs. Some protesters have also called for President Xi Jinping’s resignation.

People have tired of the Chinese government’s zero-COVID policy as its goal is to annihilate the coronavirus by use of harsh, blunt-weapon techniques irrespective of the pain and disruption it causes.

The authorities are trying to crack down the unprecedented wave of civil disobedience. Hundreds of demonstrators and police clashed in Shanghai on Sunday night. The protesters were heard chanting ‘Xi Jinping, step down! CCP step down!’. The police have arrested scores of protesters who have come out onto the streets to express their anger against the stringent restrictions in the name of containing the spread of Covid virus. 

The agitators started with anti-lockdown demonstrations and now raising economic, political and national issues which could prove a crucial test for President Xi Jinping’s regime.

The anti-lockdown protests were fuelled by the deadly fire on Thursday in Urumqi, the capital of China’s Xinjiang region as people blamed the Covid lockdowns for hampering the rescue efforts. However, authorities have denied the claims. They also denied claims that residents of the building which caught fire were locked in their homes. The Urumqi blaze claimed 10 lives. 

Later, people started gathering outside Urumqi’s government office and demanding the withdrawal of lockdowns. On Sunday night, nearly 400 people gathered in Beijing city and shouted: ‘We are all Xinjiang people! Go Chinese people!’

Shanghai people were chanting and singing. Slogans being shouted including “ we went freedom not virus check.” “ we want democracy not dictatorship”. “ put down ccp”. It’s unbelievable 33 years after Tiananmen Square movement such slogans could be shouted out loudly on CH streets pic.twitter.com/Im7NuKSJ8y

— Vivian Wu (@vivianwubeijing) November 26, 2022

With the growing social unrest, the Chinese government had eased certain zero-Covid restrictions. However, as Covid infections rose, the Covid curbs were enforced yet again.

Breaking News：Chinese Protestors in Shanghai chanting “Xi Jinping, step down！Communist Party, step down！”

This is huge!
pic.twitter.com/mn1AeaN2EV

— Inty (@__Inty__) November 26, 2022

Meanwhile, the UN office has urged the Chinese government to not take any action against the people who are holding peaceful protests, according to AFP news agency.

No one should be arbitrarily detained for peacefully expressing their opinions.” AFP quoted UN Human Rights Office spokesman Jeremy Laurence as saying. 

Shanghai, BBC reporter Edward Lawrence was randomly arrested by Chinese police.#TheGreatTranslationMovement pic.twitter.com/PMq8rHszlm

— The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动官方推号 (@TGTM_Official) November 27, 2022

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