Chinese police have clashed with thousands protesting the country's draconian COVID lockdowns - as unprecedented civil unrest gripped the nation.
Demonstrations erupted in at least seven cities - including Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangzhou - with violence breaking out between local cops and furious protesters.
The largest demonstration appeared in Shanghai - home to 26million residents - with many boldly demanding President Xi Jinping resign.
Officers used pepper spray against about 300 protesters, according to a witness, but western journalists reported the numbers to be in the thousands.
Meanwhile last night hundreds gathered to mourn the deaths of at least 10 people in an apartment fire last week in Urumqi in the Xinjiang region, where residents were sealed in their buildings to try to stop the spread of COVID.
It comes amid China launching another mass crackdown on the virus with crippling lockdowns put in place across the country, nearly three years after the pandemic started there.
The nation reported another 39,791 new cases spread across the country - the biggest one-day increase on record - including a record 4,307 in Beijing alone.
But it appears ill-equipped for the latest battle with COVID, with it using its own vaccines, rather than approved foreign ones, which do not have the same effectiveness at beating back the virus.
In the city of Shanghai, videos posted on social media by foreign journalists show thousands of people taking to the streets to remember the victims and to protest against Covid restrictions.
Young people could be seen fighting with police in China due to COVID restrictions
Hundreds could be heard asking for President Xi Jinping to resign in remarkable scenes
Protesters were heard shouting slogans such as 'Xi Jinping, step down' and 'Communist party, step down' and holding blank white pieces of paper
The Communication University of China in Nanjing was trending on Weibo on Saturday night, with one hashtag receiving over 180 million views. Students at the university gathered chanting slogans such as 'long live the people' and turning on the lights on their phone as a tribute to victims of the fire in Urumqi.
Such protests are an unusual sight within China, where any direct criticism of the government and president can result in harsh penalties
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