On July 9th, Wang Yonghong, the Vice Chairman of the National United Headquarters of the China Democracy Party (Overseas), led four petitioners to protest in front of the Chinese Consulate General in New York. Security guards at the consulate attacked Wang Yonghong, causing him to fall and sustain head injuries. The National United Headquarters of the China Democracy Party (Overseas) issued a statement condemning the incident.
In an interview on July 10th, Wang Yonghong explained that he, along with four petitioners and anti-communist activists, gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in Manhattan at the intersection of 12th Avenue and 42nd Street to protest against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). They chanted slogans without engaging in any violent or confrontational behavior. However, a security guard at the consulate suddenly attacked him, pushing him forcefully to the ground, resulting in his head hitting the cement floor and causing injuries. He was later taken to the hospital by an ambulance.
Wang Yonghong reported that initially, they protested in front of the consulate on 42nd Street and later moved to the entrance on 12th Avenue. When the consulate’s security guards intervened, he continued chanting slogans. Suddenly, a tall, bearded security guard from the consulate attacked him.
He recounted, “The guard first took away a banner belonging to one of the petitioners, throwing it into the middle of the road. I continued protesting with a sign in one hand and a bullhorn in the other, engaging in peaceful protest, but he suddenly attacked me, causing me to fall with my head hitting the ground.”
After falling heavily to the ground, Wang Yonghong briefly lost consciousness. He recalled, “I regained consciousness slowly after arriving at the hospital.” He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital at the intersection of 59th Street and 10th Avenue in Manhattan and upon waking up, he experienced excruciating headaches and felt as if his head had exploded.
Regarding the assault by the consulate’s security guards, Wang Yonghong emphasized that while it happened to him personally, it reflects the threats faced by anti-communist groups overseas from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He stated, “This is a case of overseas anti-communist groups being persecuted, attacked, and threatened by the CCP.” He expressed the hope that the police and prosecutor’s office would investigate the attack and hold those responsible legally accountable.
This is not the first time Wang Yonghong has been attacked. In July 2019, he was assaulted by pro-CCP individuals when welcoming the transit of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Tsai Ing-wen, through New York.
The National United Headquarters of the China Democracy Party (Overseas), chaired by Ning Xianhua, issued a statement condemning the attack by the consulate’s security guards. The statement declared, “This blatant act of violence not only violates international human rights law but also openly challenges the basic values of humanity. We urge the U.S. government to thoroughly investigate this incident and hold those involved accountable under the law.”
The statement also called on the international community to pay attention to the suppression of dissent by the Chinese government domestically and abroad, and urged for more support and assistance for Chinese people striving for democracy and human rights. Furthermore, overseas democracy activists are determined not to succumb to violence and oppression.