SHANGHAI (AP) — The first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus in China staged a sit-in protest outside his lab after authorities locked him out of the facility — a sign of the Beijing’s continuing pressure on scientists conducting research on the coronavirus.
Zhang Yongzhen wrote in an online post Monday that he and his team had been suddenly notified they were being evicted from their lab, the latest in a series of setbacks, demotions and ousters since the virologist published the sequence in January 2020 without state approval.
When Zhang tried to go to the lab over the weekend, guards barred him from entering. In protest, he sat outside on flattened cardboard in drizzling rain, pictures from the scene posted online show. News of the protest spread widely on Chinese social media and Zhang told a colleague he slept outside the lab — but it was not clear Tuesday if he remained there.
Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to lead Indianapolis 500 field in Corvette pace car
Boardwalk Empire star Steve Buscemi is punched in the face in a random attack in NYC
Iranian filmmaker flees to Europe after prison sentence ahead of his Cannes premiere
Video: Watch controlled demolition at Baltimore bridge site
Bella Hadid goes braless in a thigh
Greek and Turkish leaders seek to stress thawing relations but tensions remain under the surface
Trump hush money trial: A timeline of key events in the case
Prince William reveals he 'keeps an eye' on Ukraine as he meets woman from the war
Are US interest rates high enough to beat inflation? The Fed will take its time to find out
Travis Kelce downs whiskey shot on slice of bread at Kelce Jam without Taylor Swift
Intel exec on bringing artificial intelligence into the workplace