Protests took place in Shanghai due to strict quarantine restrictions that have been in effect since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the reasons for the demonstrations was a fire in a high-rise building in the city of Urumqi, where 10 people died. After that, the opinion began to spread among people that the dead could not escape in time because the building was closed due to quarantine, writes Reuters.
However, the authorities deny that people have died due to the COVID restrictions. This sparked a wave of defiance not seen since Xi Jinping came to power. In Shanghai, Chinaʼs most populous city, people took to a street named after Urumqi.
Demonstrators were watched by the police. Protesters held blank sheets of paper, a symbol of dissent against censorship. They also called for the lifting of the lockdown in Urumqi and China.
Reuters notes that this is a relatively rare public protest against the Chinese leadership.