Protests are continuing in China against strict COVID lockdown restrictions after a deadly apartment fire pushed some people closer to bankruptcy.
Across the country, protesters took to the streets — a mass movement rarely seen in China — and defied laws designed to limit the spread of COVID. Some appeared with blank sheets of paper, in lieu of traditional signs of protest, as a criticism of censorship that restricts citizens from speaking freely.
After Fire in Xinjiang kills at least 10 people, which critics attribute to stay-at-home measures that resulted in the building’s doors being locked, protests intensified on Sunday. In major cities like Shanghai, protesters gathered to demand an end to the country’s ruling party and to demand the president’s resignation. In clips circulating on social media, some protesters can be heard repeatedly chanting: “Communist Party resign, Xi Jinping resign”.
