Outraged by the comment "People from Hunan are poor and ugly"
As controversy grows, "Both apologize... will compensate for damages"
A video showing a transgender woman assaulting a man at a restaurant in China has sparked controversy. The woman reportedly committed the violence because she felt her hometown was insulted.
On the 25th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that a video recently circulated online showing a woman assaulting a man at the famous hot pot franchise Haidilao in Hunan Province, China. The woman threw the man to the ground and repeatedly hit his head with her fists and shoes.
The woman who committed the assault is Zhang Yan, from southern China's Hunan Province, and she is an online fashion and beauty influencer with 44,000 followers. She is a transgender woman who underwent gender reassignment surgery last November. She is also known to enjoy martial arts and sports.
Zhang Yan claimed that the man she assaulted insulted people from Hunan Province by calling them "poor and ugly," mocked her by hitting her head with his phone, and threw food and trash at her.
Initially, the man was reported to be from Hong Kong, but police investigations revealed that he was also an office worker employed in Hunan Province, China.
As the video spread, local netizens engaged in heated debates online. Some supported Zhang Yan, saying she "fought to protect the honor of her hometown," while others criticized her, saying "using violence is still wrong."
As the controversy grew, Zhang Yan posted online, stating, "His remarks incited regional discrimination. I am a woman now, but I cannot tolerate disrespect toward my hometown."
The man assaulted by Zhang Yan told the police who responded to the report, "I was drunk and acted that way," and explained, "I had no intention of promoting regional discrimination."
Despite this, as the controversy did not subside, Zhang Yan posted again on social media on the 18th (local time), saying, "We have apologized to each other, and I no longer want this incident to attract attention," expressing remorse for her actions.
Furthermore, both Zhang Yan and the man she assaulted publicly apologized to Haidilao, where the incident occurred, and it is reported that they plan to compensate for the damages caused by this incident.
In China, causing disturbances in public places or intentionally harming others can result in up to five years of imprisonment and fines.
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