Protests against harsh lockdown rules intensify in China as UK journalist ‘beaten and kicked by police’ covering unrest | World News
Protests against strict COVID restrictions have increased across China – when a British journalist was beaten and kicked by police.
Protesters and police clashed in Shanghai on Sunday night, though was forcibly removed by the police using pepper spray just a few hours ago.
It marked the third night of chaos that has spread to some of the nation’s biggest cities, including Wuhan, the first epicenter of the coronavirus nearly three years ago.
On Sunday night, the BBC said one of its journalists, Ed Lawrence, was working as an “accredited journalist” when he was “beaten and kicked by the police” while covering the news. the riots.
Footage on social media shows him being dragged to the ground in handcuffs, while in another video he is seen saying: “Call the consulate now.”
According to officials, Mr Lawrence was arrested “for his own good” in the case that he contracted the coronavirus from a crowd, but the BBC said it was “extremely concerned” about his treatment, adding: We do not consider this a reliable explanation.”
They also saw several people on the streets of Shanghai being arrested by police on Monday morning.
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Sky News sees protest in Shanghai
Meanwhile, protest President Xi JinpingThe government’s COVID-free lockdown has spread beyond the Far East, with between 100 and 300 people gathering outside the Chinese Embassy in London.
A woman from a group called China Deviants told Sky News they decided to express their anger towards President Xi’s regime because “people in China are being oppressed”.
She added: “We have been oppressed for years, for decades, and we want to change that. We need to stand up against this dictatorship.”
Like many compatriots and women in China, their anger flared up after the fire in the city of Urumqi on Thursday, she said. killed at least 10 people.
The city has been under strict lockdown for more than three months to combat the spread of coronavirus under China’s “no COVID” policy.
Videos on social media showed an arc of water from a distant fire truck pouring down near the blaze, sparking a wave of angry comments online. Some have said fire trucks were blocked by pandemic control fences or by cars stuck after their owners were quarantined, but this has not been verified.
The woman, who covered her face for fear of punishment, said: “It sparked rage. We stood up to speak up for those people. We stood up for justice.
“We want to speak, and we want people to hear it.”
China Deviants is a non-profit group and is calling on others to join them to “reject dictatorship”.
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Sky’s Dominic Waghorn reviews the protests that have swept through several Chinese cities
A group statement said: “We are committed to awakening the Chinese people against the dictator, so that the Chinese people and the international community realize that an unelected government cannot represent for the voice of the Chinese people.
“We need democracy and freedom, and we reject dictatorship.”
When the protesters returned to Shanghai, Amnesty International described their actions as one of “remarkable bravery”.
China is sticking to its tough no-COVID policy even as much of the world tries to co-exist with Coronavirus.
The country recorded a fifth consecutive daily record of 40,347 new infections. COVID-19 infection on Sunday.
