A rare protest against China’s President Xi Jinping and his policies surfaced in Beijing on Thursday, just ahead of the crucial meeting of the Communist Party that is poised to give him an unprecedented third term in power.

Photos circulating on Twitter show two banners hung on an overpass of a major thoroughfare in the northwest of the Chinese capital, protesting against Xi’s ruthless zero-Covid policy and dictatorial rule.

“Say no to Covid test, yes to food. No to lockdown, yes to freedom. No to lies, yes to dignity. No to cultural revolution, yes to reform. No to great leader, yes to vote. Don’t be a slave, be a citizen,” one of the banners states.

“Go on strike, remove dictator and national traitor Xi Jinping,” reads another banner.

The photos and videos also show smoke billowing from the bridge, and a voice recording of the protest slogans played on a loudspeaker.

According to a CNN report, the footage has been geolocated to Sitong Bridge, an overpass on Beijing’s Third Ring Road in Haidian district.

Chinese authorities have yet to comment on the incident.

There was also some support for the protests on Chinese social media but these were quickly removed.

Interestingly, the extremely rare public protest against Xi has come at a time when heavy security ahead of the Communist Party meeting has turned Beijing into a fortress.