On April 24, a “drink extinguishing smoking” conflict occurred in Shenzhen, a city known for having one of the strictest smoking bans, often referred to as the “smoking control ordinance.” A woman tried to stop a man from smoking at a bus stop without success. A dispute ensued, during which the woman used her beverage to extinguish the man’s cigarette, leading the man to pick up the beverage bottle and throw it at her. Following the incident, police requested the woman to undress at the police station for inspection and severely restricted her access to the restroom for an extended period. This event quickly drew widespread attention on the internet, with many questioning the legality of the police’s actions.
According to mainland media reports, around 5:20 p.m. on April 24, Ms. Wang was waiting for a bus at a bus stop on Tongren Road in the Guangming District. An altercation arose between her and a man named Chen due to her dissatisfaction with him smoking in a no-smoking area.
Ms. Wang said, “I initially asked him if he could stop smoking because I felt uncomfortable. He retorted that there were no no-smoking signs here, it’s not a public place, and he refused to stop smoking. I argued that with more than two people, it already qualifies as a public place.”
During the argument, she used her beverage to extinguish the man’s cigarette, causing the beverage bottle to fall to the ground. The man then picked up the bottle and threw it at her, although it did not hit her directly, spilling the drink on her and her friend. Ms. Wang reported the incident, and both parties were taken to the nearest police station in Yutang for statements.
Accompanied by the police, Ms. Wang reviewed the video footage of the incident at the scene and consulted the “Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Smoking Control Regulations,” confirming that the outdoor platform of public transportation and the area where waiting queues are located are designated no-smoking areas. The police, however, claimed that violations of the smoking ban could be reported through the “Stop Smoking” mini-program and that her actions in this case constituted “insulting others.” Ms. Wang believes that her actions should not be considered as insulting others, stating, “I just wanted to extinguish the smoke; I didn’t intend to attack him.”
In her social media complaint, Ms. Wang further stated that the police not only accused her of “insulting others” but also demanded that she undress for inspection at the police station, including removing all clothing and even her 1200-degree myopic glasses, which made her vision blurry, and she was unnecessarily withheld from using the restroom, which led to her having an accident.
Finally, under pressure of “five-day detention if no resolution is reached,” the police coerced her to sign a settlement document in a state of mental breakdown before allowing her to leave the police station. During the mediation, the smoking man apologized to her and acknowledged that the bus stop was also a no-smoking area.
The news of the “naked inspection” has sparked widespread anger across the internet.
Netizens expressed, “What started as a minor issue escalated due to the questionable actions of the police station—why the naked inspection? Is it lawful for law enforcement officers to do so? Which law mandates this? Are naked inspections required for all reported cases?” “Indeed, the controversy is no longer about the man smoking but about the police’s previous decision to conduct the naked inspection and whether it was reasonable.”
“Naked inspections are only permitted for cases involving drugs, explosives, suspects concealing prohibited items internally, or major violent criminal suspects. The Shenzhen police subjected the complaining individual to an inappropriate naked inspection, seemingly for the purpose of humiliation. It is unimaginable for such behavior to occur in a first-tier city by government agencies, with little to no oversight from the judiciary.”
Even Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of the CCP’s official media Global Times, stated, “The Shenzhen police need to clarify whether they indeed conducted the inspection as claimed by the woman and what legal basis justifies such actions.”
Under public pressure, on the evening of April 25, the Guangming District of Shenzhen issued a joint investigation report stating that the altercation between a 29-year-old woman surnamed Wang and a 33-year-old man surnamed Chen over smoking behavior was confirmed. According to the report, the police subsequently conducted an inspection on Ms. Wang by female staff in a separate closed area as required. Later that night, the two parties “voluntarily” reached a settlement, with the man violating the “Smoking Control Ordinance,” receiving an order to correct his actions and an administrative fine.