The fire on Thursday that killed 10 people in a high-rise building in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, has sparked widespread public anger. Many internet users surmised that residents could not escape in time because the building was partially locked down, which city officials denied.
As a large group of police looked on, the crowd held up blank sheets of paper — a protest symbol against censorship. Later on, they shouted, “lift lockdown for Urumqi, lift lockdown for Xinjiang, lift lockdown for all of China!” according to a video circulated on social media. Frustration is boiling just over a month after Mr. Xi secured a third term at the helm of China’s Communist Party.
“Popular sentiment matters,” he said. “But as long as there is no split in the elite and as long the PLA and security services remain on his side he does not face any meaningful risk to his hold on power.”The next few weeks could be China’s worst since the early weeks of the pandemic for the economy and the healthcare system, Mark Williams of Capital Economics said in note last week, as containing the outbreak will require additional lockdowns.
Internet users showed solidarity by posting blank white squares on their WeChat timelines or on Weibo. By Sunday morning, the hashtag “white paper exercise” was blocked on Weibo.Videos from Shanghai showed crowds facing police and chanting “Serve the people,” “We want freedom,” and “We don’t want health codes,” a reference to the mobile phone apps that must be scanned for entry into public places across China.
Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)
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