A dissident group has projected images that criticise China's role in the Covid-19 pandemic onto the Chinese consulate building in Los Angeles, United States.

Anti-CCP images

Calling themselves the Anti-Totalitarian Chinese Alliance, members of the group projected onto the exterior of the building the words "CCP virus", along with a graphic of Chinese President Xi Jinping with viral spike proteins growing from his head. 

扬我国威，热词上墙#CCPVirus #NMSL pic.twitter.com/mgNh485znN

— 關堯 · Alston Kwan (@Alston_Kwan) May 10, 2020

The projection of images was done on Sunday night, May 10.

The phrase "CCP virus" refers to criticism against the Chinese Communist Party for its early missteps, such as cracking down on "whistle-blower doctor" Li Wenliang in December 2019, when he tried to warn others about the then-unknown virus.

The phrase also refers to the allegations of a Chinese disinformation campaign that sought to deflect blame for the virus.

The term is different from "Chinese virus", which was used by U.S. President Donald Trump previously to push back against allegations made by outspoken Chinese diplomat Zhao Lijian that the virus originated from the U.S.

Trump, who is now facing mounting criticism for his handling of the pandemic, was subsequently criticised for the use of the term, which was seen as being discriminatory towards Asian-Americans.

"CCP virus" is mostly used by detractors of the CCP who wish to make a distinction between the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

"NMSL"

The letters "NMSL" were also projected onto the building.

The term, short for "Your mother has died", is favoured by Chinese nationalist trolls to defend the government against anti-China statements made online.

It has also been used recently by Chinese Twitter users in the cyber spat with Twitter users from Thailand, Hong Kong and Taiwan, who call themselves the "Milk Tea Alliance".

The founder of the group, Alston Kwan, has previously projected images of Chinese Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo after his death in 2017, as well as Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. 

He has also done the same for the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, projecting images that advocate for greater political freedoms in the Chinese Special Administrative Region.

The consulate has yet to respond to the incident.

Top image via Alston Kwan/Twitter