The Communist Party of China is reportedly using drone surveillance to force citizens in certain areas to wear face masks to protect against the coronavirus.
“Walking around without a protective face mask? Well, you can’t avoid these sharp-tongued drones!” the Global Times, the Communist Party’s English-speaking paper, said Friday in a tweet. “Many village and cities in China are using drones equipped with speakers to patrol during the #coronavirus outbreak.”
Walking around without a protective face mask? Well, you can’t avoid these sharp-tongued drones! Many village and cities in China are using drones equipped with speakers to patrol during the #coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/ILbLmlkL9R
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) January 31, 2020
Jennifer Zeng, a human rights activist, tweeted out more video of the drones operating Friday. “Traffic police in Muyang, China, using drone to check on passengers and then giving orders remotely via loudspeaker,” she said.
Traffic officers blasted, “Where is your mask? Wear your mask!,” in Chinese through the drones that had audio capabilities.
Traffic police in Muyang, China, using drone to check on passengers and then giving orders remotely via loudspeaker 沐阳女交警用无人机指挥路人戴口罩 #CoronavirusOutbreak #coronavirus #武漢 #武漢肺炎 #天滅中共 #武昌起疫 #武汉肺炎 #新型冠状病毒 pic.twitter.com/RahleMqOGx
— 曾錚 Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferatntd) January 31, 2020
Some on social media called the measure “Orwellian.” The government used the drones as the coronavirus has infected thousands and killed over 200 people.
Glad to see China have taken an already-dystopian situation and added some Orwellian drones that berate badly-behaved citizens into the mix. pic.twitter.com/iOaaTExh5Y
— Jon Norris (@Jn_Norris) January 31, 2020
Americans have been evacuated from Wuhan, China, and the State Department issued a travel advisory against going to China.
