'Voices of April': China's internet erupts in protest against censorship of Shanghai lockdown video
Share
The shouts of locked-down residents demanding basic necessities, the cries of babies separated from their parents in quarantine, the pleas of a son repeatedly rejected by hospitals to treat his critically ill father, and the sobs of an exhausted local official who admits there is "no good policy" coming from higher authorities for her to explain to residents.
These voices, charged with raw frustration, agony and desperation, are among the montage of audio recordings featured in "Voices of April," a video documenting the harsh impact of Shanghai's nearly month-long lockdown.
The city-wide lockdown, among the strictest the country has seen, has plunged the once-bustling international financial hub into a virtual ghost town, causing shortage of food, daily necessities and even medical access for many of its 25 million residents confined to their homes.
"A month into the outbreak in Shanghai, I saw many people speaking out online, but most of them disappeared after a short while," the maker of the video posted on WeChat Friday. "However, some things should not have happened, and they should not be forgotten."
The personal plights, told in residents' own voices and overlay with black-and-white aerial footage of the city's silent skyline and empty streets, touched the hearts of millions of Chinese internet users as the video spread like wildfire across social media platforms on Friday evening.
But for the Chinese government, the six-minute clip -- and the chaos and suffering it exposes -- is too powerful a reminder of the human cost of its zero-Covid policy, which authorities insist are "putting the people and their lives first."
Censors quickly stepped in, taking down the film as well as any references to it from China's internet. On microblogging site Weibo, even the word "April" was temporarily restricted from search results.
The censorship sparked an outcry. Many were infuriated at the attempt by authorities to wipe out what they see as an objective documentation of the darker reality of the lockdown -- one that can rarely be found in state media.
An online backlash ensued, with users joining a social media relay in defiance, sharing the video in whatever way they can come up with to evade censors. Some posted the video upside down, others embedded it in cartoon clips, and some circulated it through QR codes and cloud services. Censors struggled to keep up -- no sooner would they block one version of the video did another resurface, and the mouse and cat game continued into the small hours of Saturday.
Some even shared a clip of the song "Do You Hear the People Sing," a protest anthem from the 2012 movie Les Misérables.
The outpouring of anger reminded many of the public outcry two years ago following the death of Li Wenliang, a Wuhan doctor who was punished by police for sounding the alarm of the coronavirus and died of Covid-19.
"They are still trying to gag our mouths and plug our ears," a user wrote in the comment section of Li's Weibo page shortly after midnight on Saturday.
The online protest is the latest sign of growing discontent toward the harsh Covid containment measures among Shanghai residents, as well as people in other parts of China who have watched the crisis unfold in horror on social media.
But instead of relaxing lockdown measures, Shanghai authorities have tightened resolve to bring cases down to zero outside designated quarantine sites.
In the city's Pudong district, epidemic prevention authorities ordered "hard quarantine" to be installed in communities under the strictest level of lockdown -- namely those which reported Covid cases over the past week -- before Sunday, according to an official directive circulating online. On Saturday, Chinese social media was flooded with photos of workers in white hazmat suits installing green fences outside apartment buildings in Shanghai.
The tough new tactics have drawn more anger. "This kind of measures completely disregard fire safety. If a fire breaks out, rescue won't arrive on time, the consequences will be unimaginable. Who will be responsible for it then?" a Weibo user commented.
The dysfunction and chaos of the Shanghai lockdown has put residents in other cities on alert.
In Beijing, residents rushed to buy groceries on Sunday evening amid a fresh coronavirus outbreak that officials described as "urgent and grim." The Chinese capital recorded 19 new local cases on Sunday, bringing the total in the city since Friday to 60.
Chaoyang, one of the city's largest districts, announced it would launch three rounds of mass testing of those who work and live in the district. Many fear that more stringent restrictions, such as a lockdown, could soon be implemented if more infections were detected.
Photos and videos shared online show long lines and empty shelves at Beijing supermarkets and "sold out" signs on grocery-delivery apps. On Weibo and Wechat, articles providing advises on what kind of food items and daily necessities to stock up on in case of a lockdown went viral.
The panic buying took place despite Beijing officials reassured residents at a news conference earlier in the day that "the city's market supply for daily necessities is sufficient and trading is normal."
"At Beijing's fruit stores and supermarkets, everyone is panic buying. The section selling instant noodles is completely empty," a resident said on Weibo Monday. "The psychological shadow Shanghai has brought us may not go away for quite some time."
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
A lawyer who negotiated a pair of hush money deals at the centre of Donald Trump's criminal trial recalled Thursday his "gallows humor" reaction to Trump's 2016 election victory and the realization that his hidden-hand efforts might have contributed to the win.
A Conservative MP is challenging claims by House of Commons administration that a China-backed hacking attempt did not impact any members of Parliament, because the attack was on his personal email.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Loblaw chairman Galen Weston and the company's new CEO are pushing back against critics who blame the grocery giant for soaring food prices, as a month-long boycott of the retailer gets underway.
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
Six years ago, at age 18, Kazushi Kimura left his home and family behind in Hokkaido, Japan to chase a dream. This weekend, he'll ride in the Kentucky Derby.
President Joe Biden has called Japan and India “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants, lumping the two with adversaries China and Russia as he tried to explain their economic circumstances and contrasted the four with the U.S. on immigration.
A heavy police presence was at McGill University on Thursday morning, as counter-protesters assembled opposite the pro-Palestinian encampment at the school.
A Cape Breton man who had a collection of police uniforms, patches and hats has pleaded guilty to a charge under the province's Police Identity Management Act.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
President Joe Biden has called Japan and India “xenophobic” countries that do not welcome immigrants, lumping the two with adversaries China and Russia as he tried to explain their economic circumstances and contrasted the four with the U.S. on immigration.
The European Union announced Thursday an aid package for Lebanon of 1 billion euros — about US$1.06 billion — much of which will go to boost border control to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants from the small, crisis-wracked country across the Mediterranean Sea to Cyprus and Italy.
Gangs in Haiti laid siege to several neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince, burning homes and exchanging gunfire with police for hours as hundreds fled the violence early Thursday in one of the biggest attacks since Haiti's new prime minister was announced.
A Pennsylvania nurse who administered lethal or potentially lethal doses of insulin to numerous patients pleaded guilty to three counts of murder and other charges Thursday and was sentenced to life in prison.
A judge declared a mistrial Thursday after a jury said it was deadlocked and could not reach a verdict in the trial of a military contractor accused of contributing to the abuse of detainees at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq two decades ago.
Hamas said Thursday that it was sending a delegation to Egypt for further ceasefire talks, in a new sign of progress in attempts by international mediators to hammer out an agreement between Israel and the militant group to end the war in Gaza.
A Conservative MP is challenging claims by House of Commons administration that a China-backed hacking attempt did not impact any members of Parliament, because the attack was on his personal email.
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
On Friday, Canadians may get long-awaited answers about the integrity of the country's last two elections, which was thrown into question last year as reports of attempted foreign interference came to light. Here's what we learned.
Halle Berry is joining a group of bipartisan senators to push for legislation that would put US$275 million toward research and education around menopause, the significant hormone shift women go through in middle age.
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
Scientists studying a Neanderthal woman's remains have painstakingly pieced together her skull from 200 bone fragments to understand what she may have looked like.
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.
Investors considering where to park their money have a choice: go with a traditional financial adviser or trust in an algorithm. Here are the pros and cons of both.
Frustration over BCE Inc.'s 4,800 job cuts earlier this year spilled over at the company's annual general meeting on Thursday, as investors and employees questioned executives on their compensation during a period of belt-tightening for staff.
Canadian airlines have enjoyed a two-year boom amid consumer hunger for post-pandemic travel. But as that pent-up demand recedes, the country's largest carrier hopes to ramp up ticket sales to corporate customers instead.
What do you need to pack for a cruise? When it comes to this upcoming cruise from tour and travel company Bare Necessities, the answer appears to be very little.
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
In an effort to balance the profitability of Mother's Day with the pain it causes some people, some brands are offering customers the choice to opt out of Mother's Day email advertising.
During what they hope is a deep run through the gruelling Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, the Edmonton Oilers will take all the time off they can get.
Billie Jean King is a 39-time Grand Slam champion and an equal rights champion — and now she's getting the Breakfast of Champions treatment. The twice-inducted tennis Hall of Famer will appear on a limited-edition box of Wheaties.
Drivers in Saskatchewan will now lose their licence for a week and their vehicle for a month if they are caught committing certain high-speed and dangerous offences on the road.
Rolls-Royce is vastly expanding its factory in Chichester, England. The BMW subsidiary is adding five new buildings with construction planned to start next year.
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
The first weekend of May is a busy one in Vancouver, with a marathon, the start of a documentary film festival, and activities and events for Asian Heritage Month, not to mention a pair of Pearl Jam concerts on either side of a possible (but hopefully unnecessary) Canucks Game 7 at Rogers Arena.
A lawyer for B.C.'s Public Safety Ministry says the City of Surrey was given a pathway to retain the RCMP as its police force, but “made no effort at all” to meet conditions to do so.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
A synagogue in North York was badly damaged in a two-alarm fire Thursday morning that left one person injured, and officials are working to determine the cause of the blaze.
Former Ottawa city councillor Diane Deans is in palliative care after a five-year battle with ovarian cancer, according to Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Jessica Bradley.
The Ottawa Police Arson Unit says the fire at an Overbrook apartment building that sent two children and a woman to hospital in critical condition Thursday morning has been deemed suspicious.
A heavy police presence was at McGill University on Thursday morning, as counter-protesters assembled opposite the pro-Palestinian encampment at the school.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault has called on the police to dismantle the pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the lower field of McGill University's downtown campus in Montreal.
During what they hope is a deep run through the gruelling Stanley Cup playoffs this spring, the Edmonton Oilers will take all the time off they can get.
Two more women have filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually assaulted by an on-duty member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary who offered them rides home from a night of drinking in downtown St. John's.
An employee at a St. Matthews-area grocery store has been suspended and police are investigating after a confrontation with a customer over the weekend.
A signature carbon capture and storage project in Saskatchewan continues to miss emissions reduction goals, raising questions about the cost-effectiveness of the technology, according to a report.
The University of Regina (U of R) is reporting its first balanced budget in years – with the promise to reinvest in student supports as the institution puts its pandemic related fiscal challenges in the rear view mirror.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Reep Green Solutions has set itself an ambitious goal for 2024 – planting 400 trees on 285 private properties in Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph.
Saskatoon police are asking for the public’s help in investigating a serious assault that occurred on April 24 near a gas station in the 300 block of Confederation Drive.
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Detectives with Sault police, including members of the forensic identification unit, executed a search warrant Thursday inside a residence on Boundary Road.
One person has died following a crash in North Perth late Wednesday night. Around 11:30 p.m. first responders were called to Line 72, east of Perth Road 158 for a passenger vehicle and an off-road vehicle had collided.
Police in Barrie charged one man with attempted murder after an alleged assault sent one individual to a trauma centre with life-threatening injuries on Tuesday.
The family of Jim Lynne is speaking out for the first time since his death in a crash in Wasaga Beach two years ago as the man accused of drunk driving that night prepares to head to trial.
Publicized as a "spellbinding experience," performers from the French-based Cirque De Paris was left scrambling for a temporary building permit approval on Thursday.
The Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor-Essex County Branch is teaming with the Detroit Tigers later this month when the Tigers play against the Toronto Blue Jays.
B.C. has launched its previously announced secondary suite incentive program, with eligible homeowners able to receive thousands of dollars in forgivable loans to construct a rental unit.
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
A food security program delivering meals to seniors on a low income or facing health challenges could soon end in Greater Victoria if funding doesn’t come through.
Out of more than 9,000 entries from over 2,000 breweries in 50 countries, a handful of B.C. brews landed on the podium at the World Beer Cup this week.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
A Transportation Safety Board report says experience, recent training and safety equipment were key factors in a pilot surviving the crash of a firefighting plane south of Cranbrook in August 2022.
A 54-year-old suspect has been charged after Ontario Provincial Police capped a three-month investigation with a raid of a residence in Schreiber, Ont.
Social services in the north are bracing for deep funding cuts to homelessness services and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus is calling on the federal government to explain why it is scaling back at a time when the north is facing a social disaster.
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.
Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.