11/28/2022

Crowd angered by lockdowns calls for China's Xi to step down

Protesters angered by strict anti-virus measures called for China's powerful leader Xi Jinping to resign, an unprecedented rebuke as authorities in at least eight cities struggled to suppress demonstrations Sunday that represent a rare direct challenge to the ruling Communist Party. The protests erupted after a fire broke out killing at least 10 people in an apartment building. That prompted angry questions online about whether lockdowns helped cause the tragedy.

■Class discussion: Do you think these protests will have any impact on China’s hard-line leaders? Could this bring an end to the country’s “Zero Covid” policy and its widespread lockdowns? China has developed and deployed an extensive surveillance network using cameras and facial recognition. How much danger do these Chinese protesters face from authorities? Do you worry that similar technology could be used by authoritarian leaders silence debate in other nations or even here?