The tyrant has had enough:
Protests against China’s strict covid measures failed to materialize on Monday as the Chinese authorities deployed a heavy police presence in the capital and other major cities to deter a repeat of the weekend’s demonstrations.
With evidence of a clampdown on the streets of Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and elsewhere, crowds largely stayed away. Shopping malls were closed early, and passersby were regularly stopped for identity checks.