Students are on the front lines of a wave of protests that hves spread across China, with over 50 universities organising demonstrations. These protests come as a result of stringent measures imposed by the government against the spread of Covid-19, which protestors have spoken out against as an infringement on their human rights. The demonstrations are characterised by the use of blank pieces of paper in place of written signs; a measure to evade arrest as well as highlight the lack of free speech allowed to the public.
The protests began after a fire in the Xinjiang region killed 10 people who were trapped in their apartments. Videos have surfaced which suggest lockdown measures may have prevented firefighters from helping the victims. Other incidents that have sparked anger include a bus crash that killed 27 people en route to a quarantine facility, as well as numerous other deaths linked to lockdown restrictions.
Frustrations have also been mounting since the pandemic began, with the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic causing citizens to be confined at home for long periods of time, with low rates of vaccination. Some citizens had doors nailed or wired shut to keep them inside.
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Initial arrests sparked renewed demonstrations calling for the release of those who were incarcerated. Police returned with hardline tactics, with videos showing protestors being pushed, dragged, and beaten. Protests spread widely across the country, with hubs in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, and Wuhan.
Protests Across China Call For Change
The calls for change go beyond the Covid-19 policies, with many protestors demanding larger-scale change. Some of the slogans included, ‘Unlock Xinjiang, unlock China,’ ‘do not want PCR [tests], want freedom,’ ‘press freedom,’ and ‘Xi Jinping, step down. Communist party, step down.’ This comes in response to the Chinese president recently beginning his third five-year term in office.
The protests are the largest scale act of dissent the country has seen in quite some time, with some going as far as to compare them with the Tiananmen Square movement of 1989, which was also student-led. The Chinese government has countered the protestors with a variety of measures. After students protested at Tsinghua University, they were sent back to their hometowns.
Whether the protests will bring about changes to the zero-Covid policy or only serve to bolster Xi’s authority remains to be seen.
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