In the Chinese city of Urumqi, in the west of the country, many people took to the streets yesterday to demonstrate against Corona measures. The reason for this was a fire that broke out in a residential building in the city last Thursday, in which ten people were killed.

Local authorities say people have been able to leave the apartment, but videos posted on social media have sparked outrage. For example, many netizens shared screenshots that allegedly showed that the residents were unable to get out in time because the building was partially locked.

Urumqi has one of the longest lockdowns in China. Many residents of the City of Millions are not allowed to leave their homes for a hundred days.

In the Xinjiang region, where Urumqi is located, there are at least 10 million Uyghurs, a Muslim minority that is severely repressed by the rulers in Beijing. They are not allowed to practice their faith and a large number of people are detained in so-called re-education camps, where, according to human rights organizations, they are forced to do forced labor and are severely mistreated.

Video of yesterday’s protest in Urumqi shows several people gathering and calling for the lockdown to be lifted:

Corona measures also appeared in the capital, Beijing, this week tighten. Restaurants, parks and offices are closed again. At a time when Corona measures are being increasingly relaxed around the world, China is sticking to the approach of not spreading the virus.