Protests taking places in various cities of China against CCP and Xi, demand to end the zero-covid restrictions. Photo: file

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Dharamshala, India – Protests broke out in Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Tianjin, Gansu, East Turkestan, Anhui and Qinghai against the Zero-Covid policy and restrictions imposed by the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with some protests calling for "the Communist Party and Xi Jinping to step down".

The protests took place on 25, 26, 27 and 28 of November 2022 in about 16 different cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Tianjin, Gansu, Chongqing, Chengdu, East Turkestan (Ch:Xinjiang), Anhui and Qinghai, etc. Demonstrations continue, but many peaceful protesters are arrested, beaten and treated harshly. In some places, the Chinese authorities even openly shoot at protesters and police vehicles run over protesters, and some people shout that they (the police) are killing the people.

Videos are appearing online of people in China protesting against the CCP and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as the restrictions of the "zero covid policy", which has caused many problems for ordinary people, including the forced closure of homes, buildings, loss of jobs, bans on travel, separation of families and a fire in Urumqi, East Turkestan.

The demonstrators chanted slogans such as "freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, human rights in China, end of dictatorship, democracy, we need democracy, let's oppose dictatorship, don't want a system for life, don't allow changes to the party constitution, China doesn't need an emperor" etc.

Since the night of Friday, November 25, 2022, people have taken to the streets in many parts of China to protest against the closure of homes and mourn the dead after the fire in Urumqi, East Turkestan, which left ten dead and nine injured. People laid flowers and lit candles to honour their memory, including on Urumqi Middle Road in Shanghai, where many people held white papers and shouted "human rights! freedom!, "no covid test, no dictatorship, democracy!,” "open Xinjiang", etc.

On November 27, 2022, protests erupt in Beijing and demonstrators shout: "Don't want the Cultural Revolution, want reform," "don't want leaders, want votes," "don't be slaves, be citizens," "unlock the lockdown (3)," "want freedom (3), want freedom of speech, freedom of the press," "let people go (arrest people)," "don't want the Covid test, want freedom."

Protests break out in Shanghai on November 27, 2022, and protesters shout, "Communist Party step down, Xi Jinping step down," "Free Xinjiang, free all of China," "freedom, we want freedom," "apologize (for the people), serve the people." The protestors also tell the police, "You have jobs, do you know how many people don't have jobs? You have jobs, you can eat, you can earn money, what about us?"

Protests broke out in Chengdu on November 27, 2022, and demonstrators shouted slogans such as: "want freedom of speech, remember history, want human rights, oppose dictatorship, don't want a system for life (Xi Jinping), don't allow changes to the party constitution, China doesn't need an emperor, long live the people, long live freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press."

A young woman at the Chengdu protest said to the police: "You are not afraid because you are all paid, with the people's money, the people's savings that support you, but, you keep biting us and eating us, drinking our blood and eating our flesh, dare to look, do you know how miserable the people are imprisoned (in the houses), what is the original purpose of you being in the police, it is to serve the people, but now you are serving the renminbi (yuan), take off your clothes and join us, you will never be able to stop our mouths.”

Following widespread protests across China on Saturday and Sunday, the UN calls on China to respect the right to peaceful protest on Monday, November 28, 2022 and said, "We call on the authorities to respond to demonstrations in accordance with international human rights laws and standards. No one should be arbitrarily detained for peacefully expressing their views." People from Hong Kong, Australia, India and other parts of the world have expressed their solidarity with the Chinese protesters through oline, as well as in actions by organising protests against the Chinese government.