In a disturbing incident during the peak hours on the evening of April 30th, a malicious event unfolded on Line 3 of the Guangzhou Metro, where a man indiscriminately sprayed pepper spray in the crowded train carriage, causing chaos at the scene. Multiple passengers experienced severe reactions such as coughing, inability to open their eyes, vomiting, and some even collapsed in pain on the floor. This incident has raised strong public concerns about public safety and security vulnerabilities.
Several passengers in Guangzhou posted videos showing a man using an unidentified liquid spray inside the train carriage, causing discomfort among the passengers.
According to reports from various mainland media outlets, the man was caught engaging in clandestine behavior such as taking unauthorized photos or attempting theft. When exposed, he began indiscriminately spraying pepper spray in the crowded carriage, causing many passengers to cough uncontrollably, vomit, have difficulty opening their eyes, and even faint.
As the train had just started moving at the time of the incident, passengers were trapped in the enclosed carriage until they reached the Tiyu West Road station, where they collectively dispersed.
An eyewitness, Mrs. Zhang, who was visiting Guangzhou, recounted hearing her husband urging her to run. Suddenly, a pungent smell filled the air, causing everyone to cry. They were forcibly pushed out of the carriage by the crowd, only later realizing that a man had been spraying pepper spray.
Pepper spray is a clearly prohibited item in mainland China, yet the man managed to bring it into the metro train. Many netizens pointed out that Line 3 has a high volume of passengers during peak hours, indicating potential lapses in security checks. Some passengers compared, “Even carrying a small bottle of cologne spray can be detected during routine checks, so how did pepper spray get through?”
“Why are there so many security personnel then?” asked a user named “Zhan Xiaofei.”
“Isn’t pepper spray supposed to be restricted? Where did he get it from?” questioned another user named “Wow.”
Another user named “Weibo Intelligence Search” explained, “Pepper spray is a controlled item in China and cannot be freely purchased by the general public. The source of the pepper spray used in this incident has not been disclosed.”
“I was detained for carrying alcohol spray during security check, but others can bring knives and pepper spray without any problem?” questioned a user named “Cinnamon Apple Basque.”
“How did it pass the security check?” inquired a user named “Emily.”
“So, is the ‘security check’ completely useless and should be removed to avoid wasting passengers’ money and time!” argued a user “Jianhangspb.”
A Weibo member, “Ziyexiaoquge ZY,” remarked, “I couldn’t get through the security check with a bottle of hairspray or sunscreen spray, so how did he manage to bring a bottle of pepper spray inside? Pepper spray is a clearly prohibited item on the metro, yet it made its way onto the busiest Line 3. Either security checks were relaxed to increase speed during peak hours, or there are loopholes in the security procedures and equipment.”
“In an enclosed, crowded environment where rapid evacuation is difficult, spraying irritants at innocent people can cause panic, stampedes, asphyxiation, or heart attacks. After the incident, there was no emergency ventilation in the carriage, and the train couldn’t stop to allow passengers to exit, leaving them no choice but to endure,” many online users criticized.
Many netizens have expressed that such behavior poses a serious threat to public safety and accountability must be upheld.
In response to the incident, metro police officers stated that the man used pepper spray and has been apprehended. The local police station is currently handling the case.