As China suffers worst COVID outbreak, videos show police violence, looting and unrest

China is currently suffering the worst Coronavirus outbreak in its history with over 19 crore people directly affected. As the Xi Jinping administration continues its zero COVID policy, over 23 cities have been put under complete or partial lockdown. More recently, pictures and videos of authorities committing violent acts, and citizens protesting against the government have gained momentum online. 

A Twitter user recently shared a series of videos, showing cops physically abusing coronavirus patients on the streets of unknown Chinese cities. “We’ve seen lots of photos & videos of rioting, looting, police violence and general unrest in China over the past couple days, as pandemic restrictions in Shanghai, Jilin & other places become unbearable for countless people,” he wrote. In another video, protesters could be seen demanding supplies amidst lockdown. In the video, “发物资” “ or "give us supplies” could be heard.

Shanghai under lockdown

The Coastal city of Shanghai has a total population of about 26 million people, as per latest statistics. As the Xi Jinping administration continues to move ahead with its zero COVID policy, city authorities have imposed a lockdown. In recent weeks, the city has reported a sharp spike in cases. On Sunday, the city reported a record of close to 25,000, bringing the total in the current wave past 1,70,000. The lockdown is hitting small-scale businesses and restaurants, which are being forced to shut down. Big companies like Tesla, as well as Chinese and Taiwanese firms, are waiting to resume operations in the country. 

A couple of days ago, the government forced 40 companies to suspend their operations in Shanghai and other regions, CNN reported. Over 90 Taiwanese companies have reported that their business was affected by the lockdowns, including printed circuit board manufacturer Unimicron Technology and top bike maker Giant Manufacturing. Notably, the World Bank and some investment banks have recently warned about the damage caused by China's zero-COVID policy to the economy's growth. The lockdown in Shanghai comes at a time when the country is already struggling with its economy. On Friday, Shanghai reported a total of 21,000 cases, and the majority of patients were asymptomatic.

Image: AP