Tibetan capital Lhasa witnessed a massive protest against the Chinese government’s severe Covid-restrictions.

Hundreds of people in Lhasa protested over the Chinese government’s strict Covid measures, and lockdown as per the footage shown reported The HK Post. The protestors took to the street at noon. The protest was said to have continued throughout the evening, according to UK-based media. For more than two months, authorities have shut down Lhasa and inflicted harsh and severe Covid restrictions, which has led to a major protest in Lhasa this Wednesday, reported The HK Post.

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Last Wednesday’s protest is believed to be the second-largest eruption ever since the 2008 uprising where hundreds of Tibetan marched on the streets against the Chinese government. Then a major clash between the police and protesters had taken place where Tibetans were brutally punished, detained, beaten and sentenced.

The Wednesday protest was made up of migrant workers who came to Lhasa for employment and to earn their daily wages where it has become very hard to earn money during these lockdowns and worse, they couldn’t even go back to their homes. Hence, they took on the street out of desperation and frustration as per the video depicts, reported The HK Post.

One such video shows migrant workers walking on the street shouting and demanding to be allowed to go back home.
Another video shows a large-scale protest march on the street blocked on one end by the healthcare officials and asking them “to please be understanding and go back” whereas another video shows a man commenting in Mandarin.

He further said,“They have been locked up for too long. And a lot of people in this community are people who have just come to work and earn money. If they could get that in mainland China, they wouldn’t have come here”.

However, these videos were quickly deleted from Chinese social media, as usual, although some were re-posted on Twitter, reported by UK-based media.

As per Radio Free Asia, protesters warned they would “set off a fire” if the authority do not lift up the severe restrictions.

Another said, there is a fear of turning this clash between the authority and protesters violent.

One resident in Lhasa said that it had been almost 80 days since the Covid lockdown and she has been staying indoors except to roam for a few hours a day. The emotional and psychological toll it has taken on the people was unimaginable.

Moreover, prices in Lhasa now are so high and landlords are chasing people for rent. The workers also aren’t allowed to go back to their hometown, reported The HK Post.
The zero covid-policy has inflicted deep anxiety, and frustrations not just among the migrant workers but also for the Tibetans living outside Lhasa.

The Chinese government has imposed strict Covid measures including a lockdown in Lhasa since August and several Tibetans have attempted suicide. The severe and sudden lockdown has prompted acute food shortages, and even inappropriate treatment for those inflicted with Covid, reported The HK Post.