A video showing a 14-year-old girl being slapped, kicked, and tormented by several underage girls went viral, sparking public outrage in Jiangyou city of southwest China. Two of the offenders were sent to a specialized school for “corrective education,” while others received warnings or short-term detention less than 15 days. The girl’s parents, including a deaf mother, publicly expressed their frustration outside government offices, drawing the support of citizens demanding justice. Hundreds of residents initially protested, condemning the authorities for punishing the perpetrators too lightly.
As the protests grew, the government moved quickly to repress them. Security forces dispersed demonstrators, online discussion was heavily censored, and posts about the incident were removed from social media. State media coverage remained minimal and carefully framed to avoid fueling public anger, reflecting the authorities’ focus on maintaining social stability rather than addressing justice concerns.
In late November 2022, Beijing saw rare protests against the strict “zero-COVID” policy. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) quickly responded with its usual tactic of silencing dissent through secret arrests and intimidation, all while attempting to discredit protesters by alleging foreign influence.
The first to be detained were a finance firm employee, a freelance writer, a teacher with a degree in British literature, and an editor at a Beijing publishing house. These four women, friends who shared interests in social issues like feminism and LGBTQ rights, participated in the November protests and were swiftly arrested.
These arrests are part of a broader strategy by the CCP to intimidate and warn those who might be inspired by the recent surge of public discontent. The protests posed a significant challenge to the CCP’s rule and embarrassed President Xi Jinping.
Despite the government’s efforts to keep these actions under wraps, news of the arrests has spread among those involved in the protests. The CCP has avoided officially announcing these arrests to prevent further public outrage but has ensured that the message is clear: even peaceful expression of dissent will not be tolerated, and those who challenge the government face severe personal risks.
The Beijing protests began as a vigil for victims of a deadly fire in Xinjiang, which many blamed on the restrictive “zero-COVID” measures. While initial police response during the protests was relatively restrained, it soon escalated. In the following days, police summoned or visited demonstrators, questioning their participation and connections.
One of the detained women, Cao Zhixin, recorded a video before her arrest, expressing her belief in the right to express opinions even in China. Her case, along with the other three women, has highlighted the personal risks of challenging the government.
Authorities have accused these women of using foreign communication platforms and participating in feminist activities, framing their actions as influenced by foreign forces. The charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a vague but commonly used accusation, carries a potential five-year prison sentence.
The CCP’s crackdown on these protesters serves as a stark reminder of the risks of dissent in China. The government’s actions aim to ensure that the recent wave of protests does not inspire further public outcry, using fear and repression to maintain control.
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