The latest demonstrations were prompted by a fire in a high-rise apartment block in the northwestern Xinjiang region on Thursday.

The fire, in the city of Urumqi, killed at least 10 people, and questions have been raised over whether China's strict lockdown policy stopped residents from escaping the flames.

Officials deny this, and a fire department spokesperson inspired further anger after appearing to blame residents for not being able to "rescue themselves".

Many Chinese cities have been under strict lockdown for months - many of Urumqi's four million residents, for example, have been unable to leave their homes for any reason since August.

In Shanghai on Saturday night, police used pepper spray on around 300 protesters who had gathered at Middle Urumqi Road with flowers and candles and holding signs that said "Urumqi November 24" in memory of the fire's victims.

A protester who gave only his family name, Zhao, told The Associated Press that one of his friends was beaten by the police and two friends were peppersprayed.

Sky News