US and Canada urge China not to use force for stopping protests against stringent Covid curbs

The United States and Canada have requested China to not use force against the protesters opposing the latest set of lockdowns imposed by the Communist Party of China as part of the Zero Covid policy. With citizens showing dissent in various parts of the country, the top security body in China hasalready urged the government to launch a “crackdown” on “hostile forces”.

According to video footage, which was verified by AFP, the police clashed with protesters in the city of Guangzhou. The video showed that security personnel in hazmat suits were present in the city’s Haizhu district on Tuesday and screams of people could be heard in the background. It also showed objects being thrown at the police and many people were detained by the authorities.

In response to this incident, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said that China should allow people to protest peacefully and not use violence to stop the demonstrations.

“We don’t want to see protesters physically harmed, intimidated or coerced in any way. That’s what peaceful protest is all about and that’s what we have continued to stand up for whether it’s in China or Iran or elsewhere around the world,” he said in an interview with CNN.

Canada also took a similar stance regarding the topic and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the Chinese government should not curb the freedom of expression when it comes to the people.

“Everyone in China should be allowed to express themselves, should be allowed to share their perspectives and indeed protest,” Trudeau said. “We’re going to continue to ensure that China knows we’ll stand up for human rights, we’ll stand with people who are expressing themselves.”