On Sunday, protesters took to the streets of Shanghai calling for an end to lockdowns in a rare display of public opposition to the country’s zero-Covid policy.
On Thursday, ten people died in a deadly fire in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang region, sparking anger among citizens who blame the Covid lockdowns for delaying rescue efforts.
In central Shanghai, people gathered to mourn the victims, but also to loudly protest their discontent with the current situation.
A person who attended the protest said “a group of people was mourning and sending flowers on the sidewalk, another group of people was chanting slogans”.
Earlier this year, the city of Shanghai with a population of 25 million people endured a two-month long lockdown that saw widespread food shortages.
