Public shaming of alleged Covid rule breakers sparks backlash in China

Four masked suspects in hazmat suits were paraded on Dec 28 in front of a large crowd in Guangxi region's Jingxi city. -SCREENGRABS FROM TWITTER

BEIJING (AFP): Armed riot police in southern China have paraded four alleged violators of Covid rules through the streets, state media reported Wednesday (Dec 28), leading to criticism of the government's heavy-handed approach.

China banned such public shaming of criminal suspects in 2010 after decades of campaigning by human rights activists, but the practice has resurfaced as local governments struggle to enforce the national zero-Covid policy.