Students and community members gathered outside USC’s campus at Jefferson Blvd. and Hoover St. on Tuesday night to mourn victims of the #urumqi fire in Xinjiang, China and protest China’s “zero-COVID” policy. After 10 people died in an apartment building fire in Urumqi, protesters blamed the country’s “zero-COVID” restrictions as a reason for their deaths. Firefighters were allegedly obstructed from entering the building, slowing rescue efforts. The deaths sparked a wave of protests in China, demanding the removal of COVID-19 restrictions and for freedom of speech. One protestor that Annenberg Media interviewed declined to reveal their identity for fear of retribution against themselves or their families. 🎥 aurorapi.jpeg