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DAY OF RAGE
China deploys riot cops to crush protests after 10 people burn to death in tower block due to ‘Zero Covid’ lockdown
CHINA has deployed an army of riot cops to crush protests as fury erupts over the deaths of ten people in a tower block blaze.
Hundreds have taken to the streets in eight cities in China after the tragedy was blamed on Xi Jinping's draconian zero-Covid lockdown.
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From Beijing to Shanghai, the deaths have led to protests across China and cops have descended onto the streets to keep order as tensions boil over.
The deadly blaze at the apartment block in Urumqi on Thursday sparked outrage as the city has been under strict Covid restrictions since August.
The fire broke out on the 15th floor and rapidly spread to the higher floors - killing ten people and injuring another nine.
Furious residents have blamed the deaths on the Covid lockdown as they said they were only allowed to leave home for short periods each day and the timing was strictly controlled by authorities.
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Footage also showed workers trying to take down fences near the building, delaying firefighters and emergency services from getting to the scene and helping victims.
Thousands took to social media to question whether residents had been trapped in the building - and whether the fire exits had been blocked.
"Please have a thorough investigation into whether the fire exit is clear. The price is just way too heavy. Every tragedy is worse than Omicron itself," one Weibo user said.
Urumqi authorities issued an unusual apology on Friday night and confirmed lockdown measures would be eased "in stages" after the blaze.
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And on Sunday, Beijing appeared to acknowledge the tragedy as authorities reportedly issued a notice stating it is "strictly forbidden" to block fire exits in buildings under lockdown.
But the deaths have sparked protests across China and hundreds of riot cops have been deployed to keep order as fury spills out onto the streets.
People in Urumqi were seen confronting officials, breaking down a barrier and yelling "end the Covid lockdown".
Protesters in Shanghai stood on police cars and others chanted "we don’t want PCR tests" as a vigil was held in the city for the fire victims on Saturday night.
As people laid white flowers, cops removed them and ordered people to go home.
Some shouted for Xi to "step down" in a rare act of defiance.
Police using pepper spray managed to disperse protesters - but they returned hours later in the same spot on Sunday night.
The protests reportedly turned violent as one demonstrator, named Zhao, said one of his friends was beaten by the cops.
Footage showed protesters behind shoved to the floor by officers and handcuffed before being bundled into waiting vans.
A shocking clip appeared to show a police officer pushing a woman against a shop window before detaining her.
In other clips, people shouted and pushed against rows of men in the white hazmat suits.
In Wuhan, footage appeared to show raging protesters tearing down barriers as hundreds took to the streets.
It's not clear how many people have been arrested across the country.
China has recently reported a spike in infections and has imposed harsh restrictions as it continues to battle the virus - almost three years after the pandemic emerged in Wuhan.
The demonstrations are the latest signs of building frustration with Chinas intense approach to controlling Covid.
It's the only major country in the world that still is fighting the pandemic through mass testing and lockdowns.
Beijing has gone back into lockdown as part of China's harsh 'Zero Covid' lockdown measures.
Schools, restaurants, gyms, beauty salons, and other facilities have been closed this week.
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City centre residents cannot leave the area unless they have a negative Covid test as well as permission from local authorities and have been told not to leave their homes "unless necessary".
It comes after a Chinese man was arrested for staging a lone anti-lockdown protest before being freed by an angry crowd.
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