Clashes in China as people try to move out from coronavirus-hit Hubei
Beijing : Soon after the lockdown was lifted in Hubei province, people tried to move out from the coronavirus-hit place. And Chinese officials were thrashed by the mob who tried to stop them from moving out in panic.
Hubei province with over 56 million people had been under lockdown since January 23 as part of aggressive measures to bring down COVID-19 cases which rapidly spread in the area.
Several videos were shared on the Chinese social media showing the scary scenes of police from Hubei and Jiangxi clashing on the bridge.
Policemen from both sides were seen arguing over the fact that how to verify if people were allowed to enter Jiangxi, according to local media reports.
The news relieved many Hubei citizens after the Chinese government announced lifting of ban and restrictions on travel.
People with green health code are allowed to travel and move out from Hubei province. The Green health code means no contact with any infected or suspected COVID-19 cases.
But when people tried to cross the Hubei Province border, they encountered roadblocks on the 1st Yangtze River Bridge that separates Huangmei county in Hubei erected by Huangmei county of Jiangxi province.
In local media reports, witnesses were quoted as saying that Huangmei police in Jiujiang erected roadblocks on the bridge to stop people from Hubei from crossing it, a move they alleged stigmatised them.
Video footage shared online showed rows of police armed with riot shields holding back the crowds, while members of the public could be seen damaging and even overturning police vehicles.
While it is unclear exactly how the clash started, police from the two sides published separate official statements online, which were quickly deleted, it said.
The real reason behind the clash is yet to be found.
After the incident, the governments of Huangmei and Jiujiang on Friday issued a joint statement saying they had agreed to remove the barriers set up to restrict travel during the lockdown, and also to recognise each other's health screening codes to make it easier for people in good health to get to where they needed to be, the Post report said.
