Riot police in Shanghai drag and detain anti-Covid restriction demonstrators

RIOT police in Shanghai drag and detain anti-Covid restriction demonstrators.

Protesters were also seen gathered in the streets of Shanghai and singing the national anthem.

The wave of civil disobedience is unprecedented in mainland China since President Xi Jinping assumed power a decade ago, as frustration mounts over his signature zero-COVID policy nearly three years into the pandemic.

A fire on Thursday at a residential high-rise building in the city of Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region, triggered protests after videos of the incident posted on social media led to accusations that lockdowns were a factor in the blaze that killed 10 people.