The news sparked public sadness and anger, and protests – now known as the A4 Revolution – erupted across China, with people calling for an end to China’s zero COVID-19 policy and demanding president Xi Jinping to step down.
From Tokyo to Melbourne, London to New York, people around the world are taking to the streets to show their support for the A4 Revolution.
Here are some of the best photos from the protests around the world.
1. Tokyo, Japan
Protesters take part in a rally commemorating victims of China’s Covid Zero policy outside Shinjuku Station on November 30, 2022 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images)Protesters pose with signs after attending a peaceful gathering down the street from the Chinese embassy in Tokyo on November 28, 2022, in support of demonstrations held in China over Beijing’s COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images)
2. Hong Kong
People hold sheets of blank paper in protest of COVID restrictions in mainland as police setup cordon during a vigil in the central district on November 28, 2022 in Hong Kong. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
3. Melbourne, Australia
Members of the local Chinese community hold placards at a vigil in support of the protests against Beijing’s zero-Covid policy taking place across China, in Melbourne on November 28, 2022. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
4. Columbia University, New York, USA
People gather at Columbia University during a protest in support of demonstrations held in China calling for an end to COVID-19 lockdowns, in New York on November 28, 2022. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
5. UC Berkeley, California, USA
People gather to protest the Chinese governments continued continued zero-COVID policies at the University of California Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California, on Nov. 28, 2022.(Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)People gather to protest the Chinese governments continued continued zero-Covid policies at the University of California Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California, on Nov. 28, 2022. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
6. London, UK
Hundreds of demonstrators gather outside the China Embassy in London, United Kingdom, on Nov. 27, 2022, to mourn the deadly fire in Urumqi in China and demand the Chinese government to end its zero-COVID policy by lifting all the lockdown restrictions.(Photo by Alexander Mak/NurPhoto)
7. New York, USA
People gather in solidarity with protestors in China against the COVID-19 lockdowns and Chinese President Xi Jinping across the street from the Chinese Consulate on Nov. 29, 2022 in New York City, USA. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
8. Seoul, South Korea
A group of protesters hold a gathering in Seoul on Nov. 30, 2022, in support of demonstrations held in China over Beijing’s COVID-19 restrictions. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
9. Taipei, Taiwan
People gather to support protests in China over COVID restrictions at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan on Nov. 30, 2022. (REUTERS/Ann Wang)
