In Shanghai, the first scientist to release the COVID-19 virus sequence in China found himself in a sit-in protest after being barred from his lab by authorities. Virologist Zhang Yongzhen shared in an online post that he and his team were unexpectedly told to leave their lab, adding to a series of challenges they have faced since publishing the sequence in early January 2020. This incident highlights the ongoing pressure and control exerted by the Chinese government on scientists, in an effort to prevent scrutiny of their handling of the coronavirus outbreak. Zhang initially posted his message on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, but it was later removed. Despite heavy rain, Zhang has been protesting outside his lab since Sunday. While he was unable to speak over the phone on Tuesday, a colleague confirmed to AP on Monday that the sit-in protest was indeed taking place.