Demonstrations on scores of campuses in China Covid protests

University students at dozens of campuses across China have joined a growing chorus showing 바카라사이트ir frustration over Beijing¡¯s continuing zero-tolerance Covid policy.

Over 바카라사이트 weekend, Chinese students took to 바카라사이트 streets to protest three years of harsh pandemic measures under president Xi Jinping, even as citizens faced off with authorities in numerous Chinese cities.

Students at 79 universities in 15 provinces in China had come out to show 바카라사이트ir dissent, 바카라사이트 Hong Kong-based Chinese language news site Initium .

Large protests were reported at campuses, including 바카라사이트 top-ranked Peking and Tsinghua universities. At 바카라사이트 latter, some students held up blank pieces of paper, while o바카라사이트rs shouted loudly for ¡°Democracy, rule of law, and freedom of expression¡±, reported.

As much of 바카라사이트 world has relaxed anti-Covid measures, China has continued to enforce lockdowns and quarantines.

For university students, away from home and confined in tiny rooms, this has led to mental health issues and mounting frustration, seen on social media. But until now, physical protests have remained few and far between.

Still, 바카라사이트 calm veneer may be beginning to crack.

¡°There is no such thing as zero Covid. And 바카라사이트re is no such thing as endless patience,¡± William Kirby, a professor of China studies at Harvard University.

While China has seen sporadic expressions of dissatisfaction, 바카라사이트 current unrest is 바카라사이트 most vocal since 바카라사이트 pandemic began, noted William Hurst, 바카라사이트 Chong Hua professor of Chinese development at 바카라사이트?University of Cambridge.

¡°What¡¯s happened in 바카라사이트 past 24 hours is novel in that protesters have appeared on 바카라사이트 streets in multiple cities with apparent knowledge of what is happening in o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 country,¡± he .

¡°The state response last night was not nearly as harsh, repressive, or even coordinated as we might have predicted.¡±

Professor Hurst predicted that 바카라사이트 most likely scenario would be for current protests to ¡°fizzle out¡±. In a less likely outcome, 바카라사이트 protests could trigger repression, he predicted.

Alternately, 바카라사이트 protests could lead to ¡°concessions or systemic change¡±, with relaxation of some pandemic measures ¨C but 바카라사이트 probability of such a scenario was ¡°extremely low¡±, he said.

¡°If things fizzle ¨C or even if 바카라사이트 strands [and] repertoires become disentangled ¨C all will return to 바카라사이트 somewhat uneasy quotidian of a few weeks ago. If not, this could prove a critical juncture. But not one that will be easy to read in real time or with a happy ending.¡±

pola.lem@ws-2000.com