Despite implementing strict epidemic prevention measures, the epidemic is still raging in China. Recently, new variants of Omicron have hit many cities in Mainland China, leading to increased government control. Before the travel restrictions on campuses in Beijing, students at some universities protested. In Shanghai, residents fear that the city will be closed again.
Protests in Beijing
Historian Zhang Lifan posted a video on Twitter on July 6 depicting crowds of residents and students gathering at the Beijing Institute of Technology. Police cars also appeared. Although the video did not show the scuffle, witnesses said the school director personally led people to blockade.
转【视频:北京理工大学:敎职工学生抗议校方不合理规定】上 pic.twitter.com/vuDO0SD4fy
— 章立凡 Zhang Lifan (@zhanglifan) July 6, 2022
According to Zhang, the protest occurred after the school issued a new regulation on disease prevention, causing inconvenience in moving around on campus.
转【视频:北京理工大学:敎职工学生抗议校方不合理规定】下 pic.twitter.com/RPmEz1cvGF
— 章立凡 Zhang Lifan (@zhanglifan) July 6, 2022
Radio Free Asia then called the security office of the Beijing Institute of Technology to inquire about the situation. The staff who answered the phone after discovering that a reporter had called, hung up and did not give any information.
Zhang also retweeted the announcement of the Beijing Institute of Technology’s Retirement Office. The notice said retired lecturers of the university can enter the teaching area with a card that proves negative nucleic acid test results within 72 hours. At the same time, the lecturers also have travel codes and strictly implement the code scanning.
转【北京理工大学:被敎职工学生抗议的校方不合理规定】(文字版) pic.twitter.com/ZaMwinCROf
— 章立凡 Zhang Lifan (@zhanglifan) July 6, 2022
If special circumstances such as inconvenient transportation exist, personnel may nominate one co-resident to accompany them. However, lecturers must request to leave the area one day in advance. At the same time, an ID card, 72-hour negative nucleic acid test results, trip code, code scanning, and temperature measurement are also required. For the first time in and out, the accompanying person needs to make an application for approval first.
Retired lecturers and staff living off-campus must report to the Retirement Affairs Department at least one business day in advance. Once approved, they can enter and exit the university with a card, and the cumbersome procedures are repeated as above.
Radio Free Asia also called the Beijing Institute of Technology’s Retirement Office to confirm any protest against the new regulations. A teacher named Zhou said he was unaware of the lecturers and residents gathering because they were not satisfied with the new rules on the university campus. But Zhou said that the new regulations had received many objections.
The newspaper also said that because of dissatisfaction with the closure and strict control of the university, students had protested more often in recent months. The universities where the protests took place include Beijing University of International Studies, Beijing University, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing Normal University, and even Tianjin University.
Vision Times cited a report by the Beijing Municipal Health Commission saying that, on July 5, in Beijing, there were six new local cases and one asymptomatic case. Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that three of the cases infected on day five belonged to the BA.5.2 branch of the Omicron variant and were in different transmission chains.
Shanghai fears of reclosing
Vision Times reported that Shanghai witnessed a resurgence of the epidemic.
The newspaper cited a report by the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission saying that on July 5, 24 new positive cases were reported in the city, all related to the spread at KTV (Karaoke Television) on Lanxi Road, Putuo District.
Netizens have posted videos saying many places have restarted lockdowns and large-scale nucleic acid testing measures. The number of medium and high-risk areas has increased to 35.
Shanghai also unexpectedly announced on July 5 that 12 of the city’s 16 special administrative regions would conduct large-scale nucleic acid testing. With a “twice times in 3 days” frequency from July 5 to 7.
Fearing that Shanghai would be locked down again, people lined up to leave Shanghai at Hongqiao train station.
上海7月5日也突然宣布,全市16個行政區裡,有12個行政區,從5日到7日要進行「3天2檢」大規模核酸檢測。擔心上海疫情再次封,上海虹橋火車站離滬人群排長隊。 pic.twitter.com/V2w5Vjfiy1
— 小婷 (@ttingxiao) July 7, 2022
Another video depicts a young man going back to get something and then locked up, unable to get on the plane.
上海再次封控
— 骄傲女孩 (@ZH_mzghg) July 6, 2022
一个小哥哥回来取个东西,
突然发现出不去了,
也赶不上飞机了 pic.twitter.com/mjViiPs5yc
One video shows Shanghai citizens starting to line up to take nucleic acid tests before they can go to work.
上海市委书记李强喊出“打嬴上海保卫战”后仅10天,上海疫情再度反弹,中、高风险区又增至35个。视频显示,上海市民又开始排长队等待做核酸才能上班。 pic.twitter.com/gTLNhZl9Ja
— 小婷 (@ttingxiao) July 6, 2022
Currently, Shanghai ranks fourth place for high-risk areas. All KTV areas are also closed.
Xi’an closed urgently on the same day
NTD said, on July 5, Xi’an also announced a temporary lockdown for seven days.
疫情再起 上海西安同日緊急封控
— 小婷 (@ttingxiao) July 6, 2022
7月5號,上海多個行政區突然無預警宣布封控管理。同一天,西安也宣布臨時封控七天。 pic.twitter.com/FYoqyCAk8R
The city announced that it will implement a “temporary control” from July 6.
上海KTV爆群聚感染 多地緊急封控
— 小婷 (@ttingxiao) July 6, 2022
上海多家KTV爆發群聚疫情,多個行政區7月5日突然無預警宣布封控管理,並在區內進行大規模核酸檢測
西安疫情再起 官稱臨時封控7天
曾經歷全面封城的陝西省西安市也宣布,全市7月6日起實施7天的「臨時性管控」措施。 pic.twitter.com/GVk6TskEey
After the announcement was issued, that night, people lined up at the train station, preparing to flee.
7月5日,西安宣布临时管控7天,当晚人们在火车站前排起长队准备逃离,比春运还夸张。 pic.twitter.com/dx45P1LblA
— iPaul🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@iPaulCanada) July 6, 2022
Xian University students fled before the administration closed.
2022.7.5 #西安 各高校学生赶在封闭管理前逃离 pic.twitter.com/7Vc20Xlmrm
— 银河系勇气之星🌟🌟🌟🚀🚀🚀 (@COURAGESTARnew) July 7, 2022