Workers clash with police at COVID test kit factory in China

Workers clashed with police at a Covid test kit factory in China, after a sudden announcement of layoffs and troubles over wages.

Videos posted on social media showed the protest at the factory in the southwestern city of Chongqing. 

Some videos were filmed at Zybio, a company specialising in vitro diagnostic reagents and equipment. 

China’s zero-Covid policy 

Since ditching its zero-Covid policy, the requirement for negative test results has dropped across China. 

In one video, protesters were gathered outside the factory, some shouting: “Give us our money back.” 

There were boxes of antigen test kits that could be seen all over the ground.

Other videos show protesters throwing chairs, crates and traffic cones at a group of riot police, forcing them to retreat. 

“It is only right and proper that you need to pay money back if you owe others, this is the road of demanding unpaid salary,” captions on the videos read.

The workers had, reportedly, been told that they were effectively laid off and that salaries would not correspond to those promised by the workers’ agents.

Political demonstrations are rare in China but protests over labour issues and demonstrations targeting specific companies occur frequently.