Massive Protests In Wuhan Against China's Zero-Covid Policies In The Alleged Birthplace Of Virus

Hundreds of people protested in Wuhan in central China on Sunday, livestreams showed, as demonstrations against the country's strict zero-Covid policy broke out across the country, reports AFP.

AFP

Hundreds take to streets in Wuhan

Footage geolocated by AFP to a street in the centre of the city showed people gathered at night, cheering and recording the protest on their mobile phones. It's the same city where the deadly coronavirus pandemic originated in 2019 ¨C as the anti-Covid lockdown protests gained momentum for the third day on Sunday.

Videos went viral on social media platforms showing protesters tearing down metal barricades, overturning Covid testing tents and demanding an end to lockdowns as they clashed with security officials in Wuhan.

NOW - People tear down barricades in #Wuhan. Anti-lockdown protests are spreading to more and more cities in China.pic.twitter.com/BpIfRCZ07Q

¡ª Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) November 27, 2022

The people of #Wuhan also mobilized, gathered in Hanzheng Street to protest, and fought with the police.#China ? https://t.co/SRA3xvlBUJ

¡ª NightMarket (@Night_Market) November 27, 2022

Protests in other major cities

A wave of civil disobedience spread across major cities like Beijing and Shanghai as public anger grew against the hardline norms to abide by China's zero-Covid policy.

In Shanghai - China's biggest city and a global financial hub - hundreds demonstrated with blank sheets of paper in what appeared to be a silent protest, as AFP news agency. Earlier in Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University, dozens held a peaceful protest and sung the national anthem, according to pictures and video posted on social media.

The latest unrest follows a protest in the north-western city of Urumqi, where lockdown rules were blamed for hampering rescue efforts after a tower block fire in which 10 people died. China's authorities have denied those claims.

EPA

Zero-Covid strategy and public anger

The zero-Covid strategy is the last policy of its kind among the world's major economies, and is partly due to China's relatively low vaccination levels and an effort to protect elderly people.

Snap lockdowns have caused anger across the country - and Covid restrictions more broadly have trigged recent violent protests from Zhengzhou to Guangzhou. In spite of the stringent measures, China's case numbers this week hit all-time records since the pandemic began.

Taking to the streets in numbers and calling for President Xi to step down was thought to be unthinkable not so long ago.

Getty

However, after a recent dramatic protest on a Beijing bridge that stunned many, a bar appears to have been set for the expression of more open and sharper dissent.

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