Hundreds join US rallies as China cracks down on Covid protests
- Expatriates, students and supporters in the United States stage protests in response to Beijing’s crackdown on unrest in China
- Beijing has moved swiftly to smother protests across the country, as frustration over heavy-handed Covid rules boils over
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Protesters around the world rally behind Covid demonstrators in China
Hundreds of people gathered on Tuesday at Harvard University and near Chinese consulates in New York and Chicago to support protesters who have called for China’s leader to step down amid severe antivirus restrictions in the biggest demonstrations against the government in Beijing in decades.
About 50 protesters, mostly students at the elite Ivy League school, sang songs in both Chinese and English and chanted slogans in both languages, including: “We are not slaves, we are citizens!” “We don’t want dictatorships, we want elections!” and “Step down, Xi Jinping”, a reference to China’s president.
Many who had gathered at the statue of university namesake John Harvard wore masks – not because of Covid-19 but concerned that if they are recognised by Chinese authorities, their families back home would face repercussions.
Relatives could face harassment or even lose a job, said Wayne, a Harvard graduate student from China participating in the demonstration who did not want his full name used out of concern for relatives at home.
In New York, about 400 people gathered across the street from the consulate, holding signs saying “Citizen Dignity Freedom” and “Free China”.
In Chicago, about 200 demonstrators gathered in front of the Chinese consulate. Some chanted: “We don’t want PCR tests, we want food!” and “We don’t want a dictator, we want votes!”