成人快手

Protests against strict Covid measures in China have spilled into a second night and spread to the country's biggest cities.

The protests were sparked by an apartment fire in the western city of Urumqi that claimed the lives of ten people. Protesters say lockdown rules hampered rescue efforts - Chinese authorities deny this.

Demonstrators gathered in the capital Beijing and the financial hub Shanghai. Many held up blank pieces of paper to highlight the country's strict censorship rules.

Some protesters went as far as calling for President Xi Jinping to step down.

Millions have been affected by nearly three years of mass testing, quarantines and snap lockdowns.

It is very unusual for people to publicly vent their anger at Communist Party leaders in China, where any direct government criticism can result in harsh penalties.

William Hurst is the Chong Hua Professor of Chinese Development at the University of Cambridge:

"What we've seen is simultaneous protests in multiple cities... the fact that it's happened at all is certainly significant."

(Photo: People hold white sheets of paper in protest over Covid-19 restrictions, after a vigil for the victims of a fire in Urumqi, as outbreaks of COVID-19 continue, in Beijing, China, November 27, 2022. Credit: REUTERS/Thomas Peter)

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