Protests in China Accompanied by Clashes, Authorities Promise to Suppress ‘Sabotage’

The ruling Communist Party of China has promised to “decisively suppress the actions of hostile forces infiltrating and sabotaging” after the largest street protests in recent years, triggered by strict COVID-19 restrictions. This was reported by Armenpress, citing the Associated Press.

Reports indicate that hundreds of law enforcement vehicles, vans, and armored vehicles have been deployed across various cities in China. Authorities have been conducting random checks on people's documents and mobile phones to find photos, banned apps, or other evidence of participation in the protests.

Sky News also reported clashes between police and protesters in Guangzhou on Tuesday night. Footage shared on social media shows various objects being thrown at police in riot gear, and arrests have been made.

China has been enforcing a “zero tolerance” policy regarding COVID-19, implementing strict measures to combat the virus, while most countries around the world have lifted their coronavirus-related restrictions. Concurrently, China has reported record-high numbers of new COVID-19 cases in recent days.