On January 20, 2025, marking the fifth anniversary of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and also Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in the United States, a “Communist Virus Five-Year Protest” took place in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco. The event aimed to uncover the truth about the global pandemic and awaken people worldwide to the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. Organized by the Chinese Democratic Party and the China Democracy Education Foundation, the protest attracted a large number of Chinese-Americans from the Bay Area.
Five years ago, on January 20, 2020, the novel coronavirus rapidly spread in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, leading to a global pandemic. Despite the Chinese authorities enforcing a lockdown in Wuhan three days later on January 23, ostensibly to contain the virus, they concealed the truth about the epidemic, resulting in a significant global cost.
In the early stages of the pandemic, individuals like Dr. Li Wenliang, a whistleblower, faced suppression from the Chinese authorities for exposing the truth about the virus, drawing widespread international attention. Writer Fang Fang documented the real situation of the epidemic on social media and faced attacks from Chinese official media and online propaganda. Meanwhile, the Chinese government promoted the narrative of a “great nation’s fight against the pandemic” to portray an image of “national unity in fighting the epidemic,” suppressing dissenting voices while covering up the truth.
The protest activity served not only as a memorial for those lost in the pandemic but also as an accusation against the human rights disaster under the authoritarian rule of the Chinese Communist Party. The organizers highlighted that the extreme control measures employed by the CCP to manage the pandemic not only resulted in loss of lives and property for the people but also sparked movements like the “Blank Page Movement” as a form of resistance. After five years of the epidemic, the shifts in the international landscape are becoming increasingly apparent, with the CCP facing challenges domestically and internationally, and the fractures in Chinese society growing more visible.
The host of the event, Zhang Junjie, emphasized the symbolic importance of holding the protest on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. He drew parallels between the nonviolent resistance spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., which inspired countless individuals striving for freedom and justice, and the similar need for resilience and courage among the Chinese people.
He stressed that the purpose of the protest was to “remind the world not to forget that the essence of this disaster lies in the distortion of human nature and conscience by the authoritarian system. An ordinary doctor was admonished for warning others in a WeChat group to pay attention to the virus, and an author was cyberbullied for posting their daily diary online. This is because in a society without freedom of speech, ‘public opinion’ is a pliable putty.”
He remarked, “The most feared by authoritarians is not our opposition but every Chinese using their strength to tell the truth, for the truth has its own immense power.”
He lamented, “African Americans have written a two-hundred-year history of struggle from enslaved individuals facing oppression to free citizens with equal rights today.”
“While Martin Luther King, Jr. in the United States is respected and commemorated by the American people, the ‘Martin Luther Kings of China’ face various forms of persecution and oppression, even denied a proper burial place. I believe this is not only a tragedy for the Chinese people but also a tragedy for human civilization.”
He inspired the audience, saying, “Only when every Chinese becomes their own Martin Luther King, standing up for their ideals and conscience, fighting against the injustices and darkness of this society, will there be hope for this country, and civilization will have a future.”
During the event, organizer Huang Xiaomin stated, “This epidemic has not only brought profound disasters to the world but also revealed the nature of the CCP’s authoritarianism.” She likened the CCP’s authoritarian rule to a global late-stage cancer threatening peace and freedom for all humanity, asserting that it must be eradicated as soon as possible.
Huang Xiaomin believed that from concealing the epidemic to extreme control measures, every step taken by the CCP prioritized the lives and dignity of the citizens beneath its ruling interests.
“Five years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic originated from Wuhan. The CCP adopted deceptive strategies, suppressed information, and arrested whistleblowers, leading to the rapid spread of the epidemic. The extreme control measures disregarded the lives and dignity of the people; many ordinary individuals were confined to their homes, losing basic freedoms, livelihoods, and even lives. All this was glorified by the CCP as a ‘victory over the epidemic,’ but in reality, it was a trampling of human nature.”
She mentioned the “Urumqi Big Fire” and the “Blank Page Movement” during the pandemic as symbols of people’s silent protests and relentless resistance against the dictatorship.
“Countless young people took to the streets, using silent blank pages to protest against authoritarianism, and brave individuals like Peng Lifah paid a heavy price for speaking out. These events show that the Chinese people are awakening; although many remain silent out of fear, they have realized the evil nature of the CCP.”
She asserted, “Looking at historical progress, the collapse of the CCP is inevitable. Authoritarianism will ultimately be overturned by the power of the people.”
In conclusion, she urged, “We speak out today not only to hold the CCP accountable but also to commemorate those lives lost to the epidemic. We must show the world that CCP authoritarianism is a common enemy of humanity and must be eliminated early on to usher in genuine peace and freedom.”