Hundreds of protestors demonstrated in cities across China against President Xi Jinping's zero-Covid strategy, with some of them even calling for his removal. "Step down, Xi Jinping! Step down, Communist Party!" CNN quoted some people as yelling during a protest in the financial hub of Shang
This large-scale protest was apparently sparked by an apartment block fire in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang province, which killed at least 10 people on Thursday and has acted as a catalyst for searing public anger.
The reaction to China's most significant easing of coronavirus controls has been a jumble of conflicting priorities and public sentiment since Beijing announced the changes a week ago.