Just days after unprecedented protests over the nation's aggressive anti-COVID-19 measures erupted in more than ten cities, the federal agency in charge of China's law enforcement authorities, including the police, issued a stern warning calling for a "crackdown" against "hostile forces and infiltrative activities." Public protests are exceedingly uncommon in China's carefully regulated society, yet last weekend, citizens not only took to the streets to express their outrage at President Xi Jinping's harsh "zero-COVID" policy, but also to demand his resignation.
The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission emphasised the need to "keep overall social stability" by calling for a crackdown on "illegal criminal behaviour that has disrupted social order."
The increased security measures had an immediate impact on Chinese citizens. Videos of police in the megacity of Shanghai, which witnessed some of the largest rallies, examining the smartphones of subway passengers and civilians strolling down streets close to the weekend protest location, were extensively shared on China's social media platforms.
A screenshot apparently showing government officials urging police to search people's phones for VPN software that could allow users to get around China's severe web censorship restrictions and international social media network apps that are forbidden in China, like Twitter and Instagram, was posted online. According to reports, anyone detected using such software would have their personal data logged.
Many Chinese decided to remove such software from their phones before the police's stepped-up actions became apparent early this week, choosing instead to use VPNs and foreign social platforms only when at home.
How many people were detained during the weekend protest wave is unknown according to Chinese authorities.
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