The great lockdown crackdown
Protests continue over China’s war on Covid
THE Chinese authorities have reaffirmed their blunt “zero Covid” strategy, following another round of clashes with demonstrators.
Police pinned down a protester and held a hand over his mouth in Shanghai on Sunday night, where hours earlier crowds had been pepper sprayed.
The BBC said journalist Edward Lawrence was among those arrested, adding he was detained and beaten by police.
Footage shared on social media showed the cameraman being dragged to the ground in handcuffs, while shouting: “Call the consulate now.”
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly described the arrest as “deeply disturbing”. Cabinet colleague Grant Shapps added on LBC radio: “Freedom of the Press and freedom to report should be sacrosanct.”
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “We will continue to raise our human rights concerns with the Chinese government at all levels as part of a frank, constructive relationship.” The BBC claimed officials said Mr Lawrence was arrested “for his own good” in case he caught Covid. It added: “We do not consider this a credible explanation.” Protests, initially led by students, first erupted on Friday and quickly spread after at least 10 people died in a fire at flats in Urumqi, in North West Xinjiang, where many believe rescue efforts were hampered by strict virus controls.
Some protesters demanded President Xi Jinping resign.
The demos are thought to be the most significant challenge to the Chinese regime since the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
The Chinese government made no comment on the protests or the criticism of Xi, but Beijing announced it would no longer set up gates to block access to apartments in a bid to halt Covid.
Guangzhou, the biggest hotspot in China’s latest wave of infections, also announced some residents will no longer be required to undergo mass testing.
And in Urumqi, where the deadly fire occurred, businesses in “low risk” areas can reopen.
But Amnesty International said: “Unfortunately, China’s playbook is all too predictable.
“Censorship and surveillance will continue, and we will most likely see police use of force and mass arrests of protesters in the coming hours and days, with long prison sentences against peaceful protesters also to be expected.
“These unprecedented protests show that people are at the end of their tolerance for excessive Covid-19 restrictions,” it added.