  We provide evidence that, alongside topologically protected edge states,
two-dimensional Chern insulators also support localised bulk states deep in
their valance and conduction bands. These states manifest when local potential
gradients are applied to the bulk, while all parts of the system remain
adiabatically connected to the same phase. In turn, the bulk states produce
bulk current transverse to the strain. This occurs even when the potential is
always below the energy gap, where one expects only edge currents to appear.
Bulk currents are topologically protected and behave like edge currents under
external influence, such as temperature or local disorder. Detecting
topologically resilient bulk currents offers a direct means to probe the
localised bulk states.
