China Covid: Shocking protests are huge challenge for China's leadersOver the years, sudden, local explosions of defiance have been triggered by a range of issues - from toxic pollution to illegal land grabs, or the mistreatment of a community member at the hands of the police.
But this time it's different.
There is one subject at the forefront of Chinese people's minds, and many are increasingly fed up with it - prompting widespread pushback against the government's zero-Covid restrictions.
This has come in the form of residents smashing down barriers designed to enforce social distancing, and now large street protests in cities and university campuses across the country.
In a way, it is hard to explain just how shocking it is to hear a crowd in Shanghai calling for China's leader Xi Jinping to resign.
It is extremely dangerous here to publicly criticise the Communist Party's general secretary. You risk being put in prison.
And yet there they were on the Shanghai street (Wulumuqi Lu) which carries the name of the Xinjiang city where a fire had killed 10 residents, and zero-Covid restrictions were blamed for hampering the rescue effort.
One protester calls out: "Xi Jinping!"
And hundreds reply: "Step down!"
Again and again: "Xi Jinping! Step down! Xi Jinping! Step down!"
The chant also went out: "Communist Party! Step down! Communist Party! Step down!".........
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-63772365