Demonstrators at Washington Square Park Show Support for China's Anti-Lockdown Protests

Dozens of people gathered in New York City’s Washington Square Park on Sunday, December 4, in solidarity with anti-lockdown protests in China.

Footage filmed by Twitter user @Datainput shows protesters holding various flags, banners, and chanting. Several speakers also took to the stage to give speeches on Sunday.

Vigils and protests have reportedly been held in cities including London, Paris, Tokyo, and Sydney after 10 people were killed in a fire at a high-rise residential building on November 24 in Urumqi, in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region. Credit: @datainput via Storyful

Video Transcript

[DRUMBEAT]

[CHANTING]

[CHEERING]

- Thank you. And next, we have an anonymous protester from Hong Kong who will be sharing some words.

[DRUMBEAT, CHEERING]

- As a Hong Kong guy, I would say we stand with all of the Chinese people who support democracy and freedom. And what happened in China is very similar to Hong Kong students. Like the University student have some speech and then they put themselves together to protest together. So I think what the next thing Chinese can do, is to make ourselves stronger and stronger, and bring ourselves together. Thank you.

[CHEERING]

[INAUDIBLE] Hong Kong.

- [INAUDIBLE] for Hong Kong.

[DRUMBEAT, CHEERING]

- All right. Coming up next is a [INAUDIBLE] activist who will be reading aloud the means of the [INAUDIBLE] tongues. But it's important to note, however, that this is an incomplete list based solely on the information we've been able to access outside of China, outside of the [INAUDIBLE] outside of Tibet. This lack of reliable information speaks to the draconian repression of information and the media black hole under Chinese rule.

What we do know is primarily from courageous voices who have shared the little info they have. So even in the face of such severe oppression, it's evidence that we are strongest together. When we work together collectively towards justice.

- Exactly!

[CHEERING]

- The genocide of the Uyghurs. If anyone is doubting the concentration camps that have been ongoing for years, we have with us a survivor and a hero. She stands right here. Proud.

[CHEERING]

So, let's do a nice round of English chant and then we'll give it back to Alex. So, let's say it. End Uyghur genocide.

- End Uyghur genocide.

- End Uyghur genocide.

- End Uyghur genocide.

- Free [INAUDIBLE]

- Free [INAUDIBLE]

- Free Hong Kong.

- Free Hong Kong.

- Free Tibet.

- Free Tibet.

- Free Mongolia.

- Free Mongolia.

- Free Taiwan.

- Free Taiwan.

- Thank you, everyone.

[CHEERING]

- All right, let's go. To wrap up, we have a couple of lyric sheets that have been passed out. We will be singing, "Do You Hear the People Sing," and the Chinese national-- the Internationale. If you cannot get a sheet, please forgive us. We only have so much paper.

- [INAUDIBLE] right now?

- You can take it up on your phone. And this will be closing out.