After nearly two months of lockdown, authorities announced a gradual restoration of public transportation, prompting state media to launch high-profile promotional coverage. According to a report by Shanghai Radio Station, a state media reporter interviewed several citizens riding Metro Line 3. One of them, a woman surnamed Xu, said, “I'm especially happy today because we’ve been locked down for almost two months. Let’s make this a moment to remember and bring some joy to everyone — there’s light ahead.”
However, a video circulating on Weibo of Ms. Xu’s interview shows that the “discordant” parts of her remarks were later removed by state media. In the footage, the reporter asks, “How do you feel now, being able to ride the subway again?” Ms. Xu replies, “I’m very happy today because we’ve been locked down for nearly two months. Since I was born, I’ve never experienced anything like this — being locked up at home, unable to go outside. It’s an absolute joke.” As she speaks, the reporter can be seen subtly moving the microphone away. In the end, these 'unharmonious' comments were excluded from the official ‘mainstream narrative.’
Meanwhile, The Paper (Pengpai News) encountered a similarly awkward moment during an interview inside a subway car. A woman told the state media reporter, “It’s been so hard for us here. For over 50 days, the government hasn’t distributed any supplies.” The reporter quickly cut her off, saying, “Alright, alright, wishing you a pleasant journey,” before ending the interview.