Shock Over Group Assault of Teenage Girl in China
Large-Scale Protests Erupt Over 'Slap on the Wrist' Punishment
Violent Clashes and Forced Detentions Amid Demonstrations
"Protests of this scale are rare in China."
On August 5 (local time), The Guardian reported on the large-scale protest that took place in Jangyusi, Sichuan Province, China, on August 3, stating this fact. The outlet emphasized, "This is highly unusual in China, as anything perceived as opposition to the ruling Communist Party or as a threat to social order is swiftly suppressed."
Public outrage spreads over real-life 'The Glory'... Angry citizens take to the streets
Citizens enraged by the fact that middle school group assault perpetrators received lenient punishments gathered near Jangyusi City Hall and protested against public security forces. X
The reason for the large-scale protest was a group assault incident involving teenagers that occurred on July 22. A video showing a 14-year-old female student being assaulted by three peers spread widely online. The footage, filmed in an abandoned building, captured the perpetrators beating the victim as a group and stripping her clothes to humiliate her. The victim was unable to resist and was subjected to the assault helplessly.
The release of the video immediately shocked Chinese society. The victim's family reported to the police multiple times but claimed they did not receive any concrete action. During this process, suspicions spread that the victim's parents have hearing and speech disabilities, and that the perpetrators' families are connected to local power figures, further fueling public anger. The controversy escalated when, on August 4, Jangyusi public security authorities announced, "The victim sustained minor injuries, and the three perpetrators have been sent to a correctional school."
"Serve the people" - Standoff lasts until dawn... Public security uses batons and tear spray to suppress protesters
The anger of citizens soon erupted into a large-scale protest. According to AFP on August 5 (local time), a large number of citizens gathered near Jangyusi City Hall. The exact size of the protest was not confirmed. The protesters raised their voices in support of the victim's family until dawn. They confronted the police, chanting Mao Zedong's slogan, "Serve the people."
However, public security forces were soon deployed to the scene. Police wielded batons to forcibly disperse the crowd, and some protesters were taken away in trucks used for transporting pigs. By evening, riot police in special gear blocked major intersections in the city and sprayed tear liquid, and it was reported that they forcibly confiscated mobile phones or prevented filming to stop people from recording the events. Witnesses at the scene reported that "bloody clashes occurred." On Chinese social networking services (SNS), related search terms were immediately censored and deleted, and posts were continually blocked.
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