On September 11, Chinese actor Yu Menglong’s mysterious fall from a building caused a huge wave of public opinion. Ten days later, the Beijing police reported that Yu Menglong had “accidentally fallen to his death after drinking,” and extensively targeted the public questioning his cause of death, claiming to have arrested a group of “fabricators and spreaders of rumors.” Former chief editor of the Chinese state media Global Times, Hu Xijin, commented on this matter and was harshly criticized by netizens.
On the evening of September 21, the Chaoyang Branch of the Beijing Public Security Bureau issued a “police report,” stating that Yu Menglong, under the influence of alcohol, “accidentally fell to his death.” The report mentioned that some individuals were seeking attention and inflating their online presence by fabricating and spreading false information, creating fake videos to disrupt public order, and so on.
The report cited examples, such as Zheng (female, 40 years old) fabricating claims that “the big shots wanted to take advantage of him, the lackeys set up a trap for the big shots, he was violated after being drugged, and he jumped off the building because he couldn’t cope”; Yuan (female, 29 years old) spreading false information on various platforms claiming that “Yu Menglong was hung from a high-rise building, had his nails pulled out while alive, his chest opened, and his abdomen pierced, before being thrown off the building”; Xu (female, 41 years old) fabricating claims that “surveillance was destroyed, with powerful forces controlling things, both Yu Menglong’s mother and sister were controlled,” and sharing chat screenshots online.
The report stated that the three individuals admitted to fabricating rumors and were taken into custody. The criminal suspicion in Yu Menglong’s case was ruled out, and the investigation findings were communicated to the family members, who raised no objections.
Subsequently, Hu Xijin posted a screenshot of the police announcement on his Weibo and commented, “These people are just too well-fed.”
Hu Xijin’s actions sparked strong backlash from netizens, with comments like, “This internet clearance notice isn’t a case report. Just glossing over the case and ruling out criminal activity? Who were the people drinking together?”; “This report is different from others of the same type, can’t you see it?”; “Our focus should be on: authenticity, time, place, characters, causes, processes, results of events. Not on investigating three netizens for over ten days”; “Why don’t you think about why so many people don’t believe it?”
“Old Hu, haven’t you had enough to eat? You comment on everything every day.”; “Aren’t you talking about yourself? Leading the rhythm!”; “Indeed, when full, one likes to carry a frisbee in their mouth.”; “Old Hu is having five rounds of fullness followed by six, eating and vomiting, vomiting and eating!”; “You’re not full with what you’re eating, carrying a frisbee.”; “Speaking of ‘eating too much,’ that should be you.”
“One should still have a conscience.”; “Wouldn’t it be nice to be an upright person?”; “Let’s not make it hard for Old Hu, we’re all just trying to make a living.”; “When the innocent can’t stand up anymore, it’s tragic!”