Shanghai: COVID-19 has hit Shanghai, one of China’s wealthiest cities, hard.
As the global financial hub remains locked down for almost two weeks amid rising COVID-19 cases, the city of 26 million is getting impatient and desperate.
Parts of the city are reportedly running out of food, water and other necessities, forcing Shanghai-ans to protest from their homes.
Videos have been doing the rounds on social media, purportedly showing citizens complaining of lack of food and medical care. Not allowed to leave their houses, they are going to their balconies or windows to express their anger and suffering by screaming and singing.
What the?? This video taken yesterday in Shanghai, China, by the father of a close friend of mine. She verified its authenticity: People screaming out of their windows after a week of total lockdown, no leaving your apartment for any reason. pic.twitter.com/iHGOO8D8Cz
— Patrick Madrid ✌🏼 (@patrickmadrid) April 9, 2022
One video apparently shows a drone, employed by city authorities, flying over apartments with a message saying: “Control the soul’s desire for freedom and do not open the window to sing. This behaviour has the risk of spreading the epidemic.”
“Control the soul’s desire for freedom” was a remark made by a Chinese lawmaker during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when China imposed strict lockdown measures in Wuhan, the first case of coronavirus was detected.
As seen on Weibo: Shanghai residents go to their balconies to sing & protest lack of supplies. A drone appears: “Please comply w covid restrictions. Control your soul’s desire for freedom. Do not open the window or sing.” https://t.co/0ZTc8fznaV pic.twitter.com/pAnEGOlBIh
— Alice Su (@aliceysu) April 6, 2022
There were images of the situation going out of control in certain pockets and riots breaking out. One video shows a group of slogan-raising people surrounding officials wearing hazmat suits and looting a supermarket.
None of the news agencies was able to confirm the veracity of the videos circulating on social media.
