Chinese Political commentator claims internet blockade in Fudan University Campus: Report

Amid the rise in COVID-19 cases in Shanghai, strict lockdown and supply chain destruction, the residents of Shanghai have started venting their frustration online. In the latest development, a Chinese political commentator on YouTube has claimed that there is an internet blockade and stringent lockdown in the Fudan University Campus in Shanghai, according to ANI. The Chinese political commentator claimed that a young professor at Fudan University had beaten a Fudan professor and CCP member Zhang Weiwei, who extended his support to the government over lockdown and zero COVID policy. 

As per the ANI report, there is no evidence for the claim that Zhang Weiwei had been beaten for supporting the COVID-19 policies of authorities. However, few other political commentators have also spoken about the incident. However, Fudan University on its Weibo account has denied the rumours. Shanghai Jiaotong University, Tongji University, Fudan University, and East China Normal University have been informed about the closed management or the quasi-closed management which requires everyone to stay at home. Reportedly, the authorities have started paying attention to the universities in Shanghai to not let the dissatisfaction of students escalate. It is to mention here that people have been facing difficulties as they have been prohibited from leaving their homes for weeks in Shanghai, that has been witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases. Due to supply chain destruction, people were left desperately in need of food and essential items.

'Voices of April' video removed from social media platforms

The residents have been demanding basic necessities as they highlight the effect of Shanghai's month-long lockdown on people. Chinese authorities have tried to block the video which showed the impact of the lockdown on Shanghai residents, CNN reported. The video, titled 'Voices of April' features audio clips of the local population who document the effect of lockdown on them. The video was being shared on Chinese platforms like WeChat and had caught the attention of netizens on social media platforms. However, Censors took down the six-minute clip from China's internet and even the word 'April' was temporarily restricted from search results on Weibo, as per the news report. Some of the users were infuriated at the attempt of authorities to remove the documentation of the lockdown and shared new copies of the video. People started posting the video upside down while others shared them in cartoon clips. 

COVID-19 situation in China 

According to AP, Shanghai has reported more than 19,000 new COVID-19 cases and 51 deaths in the last 24 hours. The fatalities due to COVID-19 in the ongoing outbreak have reached 138 in Shanghai. China’s capital, Beijing, started mass testing of more than three million people on Monday. Beijing health officials have informed that 29 new cases have been reported, taking the total number of cases to 70 since Friday. According to China's National Health Commission, as of April 25, the Chinese mainland had reported 18,120 cases of imported confirmed infections, taking the overall COVID cases to 203,334. Of them, 1,69,380 patients have been cured and discharged from the hospital. The overall tally of fatalities reported due to COVID-19 has reached 4,776. 

(Inputs from AP, ANI)

Image: AP