'Live Free Or Die,' Chinese Creatively Protest Xi Jinping's Zero-COVID Policy And Tight Control

Chinese citizens in Beijing are creatively hitting out at President Xi Jinping and his Communist Party for the government's zero-COVID policy and strict control around the country.

What Happened: Citizens from in and around Beijing shared on social media that a series of graffiti have been drawn by people in the city’s various PCR testing stations, which criticize the government for its handling of COVID-19. 

This came when the Chinese government was cracking down on people criticizing its COVID-19 policy. And to avoid being in legal trouble, the protestors chose to write only "one word only at each location, so it doesn't mean anything,” Jennifer Zeng, a Chinese-born human rights activist, and author, said in a social media post.

However, combined, they read: "It's been 3 years, I feel numbed" and "Live Free or Die."

Such creative protests in #Beijing! People are writhing slogans in separate locations to protest against #CCP & #XiJinping's #ZeroCovid policy & tight control. One word only at each location so it doesn't mean anything. But together, they mean: "It's been 3 years"! pic.twitter.com/qDqPygSl7U

— Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 (@jenniferatntd) August 23, 2022

The Chinese words at this #COVID19 site in #Beijing say, "Live Free or Die", "SB prevention and control." pic.twitter.com/lYiTa3L9NE

— Jennifer Zeng 曾錚 (@jenniferatntd) August 23, 2022

Meanwhile, the Xi-led Chinese government is reportedly using an arbitrary detention apparatus to combat fresh outbreaks of COVID-19 in Xinjiang and Tibet — to avoid public displays of anger like those seen earlier during the lockdown in Shanghai and Beijing.

The broad surveillance measures are helping the Chinese authorities enforce lockdown rules among people long at risk of arbitrary detention.

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