NYC woman attacked at Columbia University COVID protest in China
A woman who took part in the protest at Columbia University this week against China’s COVID lockdown was repeatedly hit on the head and knocked unconscious, according to police.
The 21-year-old victim was demonstrating with other people on West 116th Street just before 8 p.m. Monday when a man she did not know approached her and hit her on the head several times, causing her to pass out, police officers said.
The attacker then fled on foot in an unknown direction, police said.
The victim was taken to St Luke’s Hospital in stable condition.
The NYPD released a photo of the suspect Thursday and asked the public to help with identification.
About 200 people attended the rally in front of Columbia’s Low Library, holding up signs, lighting candles and shouting, “Give me liberty or give me death!”
Participants brought candles and flowers.
Around 200 people gathered at Columbia’s Low Library Monday night to protest and show support to people in China protesting the country’s COVID restrictions.
The Columbia gathering was one of several such recent protests held on college campuses across the United States to show solidarity with the Chinese people who have called on President Xi Jinping to step down over his government’s draconian COVID restrictions.
Hundreds of people also rallied Tuesday at Harvard University and near Chinese consulates in New York City and Chicago, chanting in Chinese and English, “We are not slaves, we are citizens!” and “We don’t want dictatorships, we do.” want elections.”
Demonstrators held signs calling for the resignation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The Columbia protest was among several such gatherings held this week on US campuses and in front of Chinese consulates.
The Chinese authorities’ extreme “zero-COVID” policy has prompted demonstrations in at least eight mainland cities and Hong Kong. The rallies are considered the most widespread protests since the student-led pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square in 1989.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/02/woman-pummeled-at-columbia-university-protest-over-china-covid-policies/ NYC woman attacked at Columbia University COVID protest in China
