Xi Jinping's COVID-Zero Policy Sparks Rare Protests In Tibet As Locals Ask China To Remove Curbs: Report

Rare, widespread protests reportedly broke out in the Tibet region against Chinese President Xi Jinping’s strict zero-COVID-19 rules. 

What Happened: Protestors in the Tibetan regional capital of Lhasa took to the streets to show anger against China’s harsh COVID-19 lockdown that has been imposed for more than two months, reported Radio Free Asia.

See Also: Xi Jinping Willing To Work With Joe Biden To 'Bolster Global Peace And Development'

The report noted that these were the first protests in the region since the 2008 Tibetan Uprising when the ethnic minority group carried out a series of demonstrations against the Chinese government’s treatment of people.

The protest videos obtained by the publication showed a high number of protesters on the streets, with crowds and cars blocking roads and raising their voices.

The sources also told the publication that the protesters have warned officials to lift COVID-19 lockdown restrictions or they would "set off a fire."

A few days ago, China censored the word “Beijing” on social media after photos and videos of a rare public protest against Xi surfaced online. That was days before the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, where Xi clinched another 5-year term for himself.

A similar protest was also seen in Beijing when citizens were seen creatively hitting out at Xi and his Communist Party for the government's zero-COVID policy and strict control around the country. A series of graffiti were drawn by people in the city’s various PCR testing stations, which criticized the government for its handling of COVID-19.

Check out more of Benzinga's Europe and Asia coverage by following this link.