China Protests: Thousands Demand Freedom From Lockdown, Stir Reaches Hong Kong Amid US Backing — Key Points

While the protests continued, the Covid-19 cases in China have been increasing. On Monday, the country recorded more than 40,000 infections with over 36,000 patients with no symptoms. 

Students in Hong Kong hold blank paper in protest against China's zero-covid policy

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Students in Hong Kong held blank papers chanting “oppose dictatorship” in a protest on Monday against China’s Covid-19 control measures after demonstrators on the mainland issued an unprecedented call for the resignation of President Xi Jinping in the massive show of opposition to the ruling Communist Party in decades, reported news agency Associated Press. 

The protests against China’s strict anti-virus measures spread to several other cities over the weekend. While the authorities eased some rules, the communist government is unlikely to back down on the larger coronavirus strategy, the report added. 

Zero-Covid Policy Protest in China: 10 Points 

1. While Beijing and Shanghai saw no protests on Monday, some students, about 50, gathered at the Chinese University of Hong Kong where they sang songs and lit candles in support of protestors in mainland cities. 
2. Hiding their faces to avoid any retaliation by the authorities, the students chanted, “No PCR tests but freedom!” and “oppose dictatorship”. 
3. Apart from the mainland cities, protests have also occurred in Guangzhou near Hong Kong, Chengdu and Chongqing in the southwest, and Nanjing in the east, according to witnesses and video on social media, the AP report stated. 
4. The protestors have been chanting various slogans against the government. “Give me liberty or give me death”, “Xi Jinping! Step down! CCP! Step down!”, “do not fear, do not forget, do not forgive”, “do you hear the people sing” were some of the slogans and songs that the protesters have been chanting against the strict control measures for coronavirus by the Chinese government. 
5. The United States backed the protests by citizens against China's zero-covid policy measures. In a statement by the White House, the National Security Council said: "We've long said everyone has the right to peacefully protest, here in the United States and around the world. This includes in the PRC (People's Republic of China)." 
6. "We think it's going to be very difficult for the People's Republic of China to be able to contain this virus through their zero-COVID strategy," the NSC added.
7. It has also been alleged that foreign media is being barred from reporting the events from the ground. The British Broadcasting Corporation said that one of its journalists was beaten, kicked, handcuffed and detained for several hours by Shanghai police. 
8. Swiss broadcaster RTS also said its correspondent and a cameraman were detained while doing a live broadcast but released a few minutes later. An AP journalist was detained but later released.
9. The protest erupted on Friday after 10 people died in a fire in the northwestern city of Urumqi amid stringent lockdowns that have left many residents in the area stuck in their homes for more than three months.
10. While the country boiled with protest over its control measures, the Covid-19 cases in China have been increasing. On Monday, the country recorded more than 40,000 infections with over 36,000 patients with no symptoms.