Shanghai this week doubled down on extreme epidemic prevention measures, once again angering the public. Some residents shouted to the anti-epidemic personnel and the police, saying that they "implemented hard isolation like prisoners", exceeding legal authorization. The resident urged these people to "have a legal basis" for doing things, not that leaders "do whatever they want".
Shanghai 's last two subway lines in operation were suspended on Tuesday (May 10), the first time the city's entire subway system was shut down, The Paper reported.
Shanghai netizens posted a video saying that the authorities implemented a "connection system", that is, if one person is positive, the residents of the entire building will be taken away and quarantined. They also had to leave the keys to their homes with community volunteers when they were taken to the centralized quarantine area.
A video showed a group of people protesting against the government's extreme measures downstairs in a residential area. One of the men in red shouted to government anti-epidemic personnel and the police, asking them to obey the law. The view expressed by the man in his shout-out is that the power of government officials is limited by law, and the rights of citizens should not be violated. The practice of hard segregation has exceeded the power conferred by the law.
"Let me tell you," the man said, "the law is authorized to exercise public power... You are exercising public power today, and I want to ask you, which article of the law of our country allows you to exercise this public power? ... ...just no hard quarantine (for us)."
"I want to tell the comrades of the public security that if you wear uniforms to enforce the law, it may also go beyond the scope of the law. That is also illegal! Do you understand what I mean? It is also illegal." The man said.
"I've never seen a community or building with a positive result that requires hard quarantine, where people are locked up like prisoners.
"There must be a legal basis for doing things, not leaders doing whatever they want, not in an era of lawlessness."
A female citizen next to her complained that the police did nothing to help the people really ask for help. "We have called the police here a few times, have you been dispatched? Are you dispatched? Are there any police dispatched? An old man died in the building before, how long have you been here? The residents here are all for all to see. An old man died in the building and stayed in the building for one night, is there anyone to take care of it?"
The video also went viral on Twitter. (To see the video click here and here .)
The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify the video.
Other videos shared on social media also showed "big whites" entering residents' homes and spraying disinfectant everywhere. The practice has angered many residents, who on the one hand worry that Dabai's practice will damage clothes and valuables, and on the other question its legality. Others questioned whether such measures have any scientific basis.
This past weekend, residents in at least four of Shanghai's 16 districts reported receiving notices that they would no longer be able to receive takeaways or leave their homes, sparking a flood of complaints on social media.
"The virus itself is no longer terrible, but the way the government implements policies has become the most terrible thing." The British "Guardian" quoted a Shanghai resident as saying, "We thought the blockade could be eased this month, but now we can't see it. It's over."
Escape from Shanghai was almost impossible, but that didn't stop people from spreading the word about how to flee. How to get through lockdown control and find a seat on the few trains and planes leaving Shanghai has been widely shared on social media. Many people expressed dissatisfaction with the re-tightening of restrictions.
Tong Zhiwei, a professor of constitutional law at East China University of Political Science and Law in Shanghai, published an article on social media titled "Legal Opinions on Two Measures for Shanghai's New Crown Epidemic Prevention and Control". Professor Tong said that any practice by the authorities to use coercive means for residents to be sent to the shelter for quarantine is illegal, and they have no right to forcibly enter the residence for disinfection, and these practices should be stopped immediately.