Protests erupt in China demanding that Xi Jinping resign over COVID restrictions

Protesters in Shanghai are urging Chinese President Xi Jinping to step down as demonstrations erupted over the weekend across China against the government's zero-COVID policies.

Thousands of protesters in Shanghai on Saturday chanted "Xi Jinping, step down" and "Communist party, step down," the BBC reported.

Anti-government protests, which are unusual in China, occurred again on Sunday as the country has implemented some of the world's most stringent COVID measures since the beginning of the pandemic.

The demonstrations broke out after protesters blamed COVID lockdown rules for the slow response to an apartment fire last week that resulted in the deaths of 10 people in the city of Urumqi in northwest China.

Unconfirmed videos amid the protests show that health authorities in China are carrying weapons while the public lines up for routine COVID testing. Another unconfirmed video reportedly from the Chinese city of Lanzhou shows demonstrators tearing down COVID test booths. 

Students have joined in on the protests at universities in Nanjing and Beijing, the BBC reported.

One female demonstrator told the outlet that police officers have told protesters they feel "the same" about the COVID situation in the country.

Another protester said that police officers beat his friend and used pepper spray.