'Step down, Xi': Protests erupt across China after 10 died in fire amid strict Covid rules

In an unusual act of rebellion against strict and expensive zero-Covid policy in China, demonstrations erupted across nation, spreing to universities and in Shanghai, where large crowds shouted, "Step down, Xi Jinping! Step down, Communist Party!", CNN reported. As China is experiencing an uprising due to ongoing lockdown restrictions, on Saturday night, protests over harsh COVID-19 policy broke out in Shanghai, China. Furr, videos of protesters yelling against limitations put in place by Chinese government to stop spre of COVID-19 disease have surfaced on social media. 

se protests emerged after ten people lost ir lives and nine more were wounded in an apartment fire in Urumqi. This fatal incident took place on Thursday when a fire broke out at an apartment building in Xinjiang, country's far western province. As per a CNN report, a video that appeared to show lockdown procedures delaying firemen from reaching victims seems to have exacerbated anger which led to protests. 

Protests erupted across China over strict Zero-Covid policy

Notably, Chinese residents protested in streets in huge numbers against strict COVID-19 regulation, ANI reported. Protesters could be heard yelling requests for Chinese President Xi Jinping and Communist Party to "step down" in various footage that CNN reviewed. 

In several footages, individuals can be seen waving signs in opposition to Beijing's unusually strict pandemic restrictions while singing national anm of China and Internationale, a standard of communist struggle, CNN reported.  

Videos that have gone viral on Chinese social media revealed hundreds of people laying candles to honor victims of Xinjiang fire on Saturday in downtown Shanghai. Later, garing screamed, "Need human rights, need freedom," while holding up white pieces of paper in what is often a symbolic protest against censorship. 

According to BBC report, people may be seen in Urumqi confronting police, crashing through a fence, and yelling "end Covid lockdown." It is pertinent to mention that in spite of a strict zero-Covid policy, infections have reached unprecedented highs in China. Officials in Urumqi have now pledged to grually remove restrictions, though y disagree that y prevented anybody from fleeing fire on Thursday. 

COVID cases in China

Meanwhile, China surpassed its daily infection record on Friday, November 25, recording a high number of COVID-19 cases for third day in a row. Approximately 35,909 COVID-19 cases were reported, including 31,504 local asymptomatic cases and 3,405 locally transmitted cases, according to official news source Xinhua. imported instances were not included in most recent total. On Friday, re were no furr COVID-19 fatalities, bringing total to 5,232.

(Image: Twitter/ @oswaldosrm)