China covid protests – live: Anti-lockdown dissent in Shanghai spreads to cities worldwide
Sunak says detention of BBC journalist is ‘shocking and unacceptable’
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Your support makes all the difference.Protests against China‘s strict zero-Covid policy and restrictions on freedoms have spread to at least a dozen cities around the world in a show of solidarity with the rare scenes of dissent.
Small-scale vigils and protests have been held in cities in Europe, Asia and North America, including London, Paris, Tokyo and Sydney, organised by expatriate dissidents and students.
“It’s what I should do. When I saw so many Chinese citizens and students take to the streets, my feeling is they have shouldered so much more than we have,” said graduate student Chiang Seeta, one of the organisers of a demonstration in Paris on Sunday that drew about 200 people.
“We’re now showing support for them from abroad,” said Chiang.
Meanwhile, prime minister Rishi Sunak said the detention of a BBC journalist who was covering protests against the country’s zero-Covid policy was “shocking and unacceptable”, a spokesman said.
China is the only major economy to continue with lockdowns, regular testing and quarantine measures for its citizens in order to fight the pandemic.
Protesters detained in Shanghai as China reaffirms ‘unwavering’ support to zero Covid
Police in China detained at least three people on Monday after hundreds of angry residents clashed with them in Shanghai as rare protests over China’s stringent zero-Covid policy spilt over to the biggest cities.
China’s Communist Party reiterated the government’s commitment to strict zero-Covid policy as the country recorded the highest number of cases for the fifth straight day on Monday.
A wave of unprecedented anti-government protests against the lockdown as well as calls for greater political freedom has gripped China over Xi Jinping’s zero-Covid policy three years into the pandemic.
Shweta Sharma has more:
Protesters detained in Shanghai as China reaffirms support to zero Covid
People take to the street as highest number of Covid cases recorded for fifth straight day
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