On August 9, 2025, a group of Chinese dissidents held a rally in Berlin, Germany to show support for the people of Jiangyou, Sichuan, calling for attention to the human rights situation in China.
The rally was initiated by Wang Shoufeng, the founder of the New Citizens’ Movement Alliance.
During the event, a brave 14-year-old boy took to the stage to speak, sparking strong reactions from the crowd.
When Wang Shoufeng asked Liu Zirun why he wanted to speak on stage, Liu Zirun replied, “I want to tell the people of Jiangyou, the people of Sichuan, and the people of China that we need to take to the streets to resist the brutal rule of the Communist Party! I want a truly free, democratic, and rule-of-law China. As Chinese people, we need to have our own conscience and judgment, to recognize the evil of the authoritarian Communist Party! We must work together to overthrow the rule of the Communist Party!”
Liu Zirun also admitted, “I am a little scared, but I feel that I cannot stay silent. I hope more young people can speak the truth like me.”
Liu Zirun’s father, Liu Yang, felt proud of his son’s courage. Initially, Liu Yang only intended to go alone, but his son insisted on coming along, saying, “I want to go too! I want to speak up too!”
Liu Yang told Wang Shoufeng, “I am proud of my son’s courage. But I am also very clear that if such words are spoken within mainland China, the consequences will be very serious, possibly leading to arrest or worse.”
Wang Shoufeng admired the courage of the young man before him, stating, “Liu Zirun represents a generation of young people who have grown up under the extreme power of the Communist Party. His introspection and anger indicate that ‘brainwashing education’ cannot completely imprison the soul. His courage injects new vitality into protests led by adults and shows that young exiles are willing to take responsibility, expressing their desire for freedom and resistance against oppression.”
Chinese dissidents have long endured high pressure within the country, from the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident to recent movements like the White Paper Movement, each protest accompanied by suppression and arrests. Many have been forced into exile, exposing the violent actions of the Chinese Communist Party through international gatherings and media coverage. For them, the fall of the Berlin Wall symbolizes the triumph of freedom over authoritarianism, making Berlin a focal point of international human rights concerns.
The protest in Jiangyou, Sichuan, originated from a bullying incident on a school campus where a girl was physically attacked and humiliated by several classmates.
After the news spread on social media, it incited public anger leading to protests demanding a public investigation and punishment for those involved. However, authorities deployed a large number of police to suppress the protests, arresting many demonstrators and blocking information. While videos and discussions within China were quickly deleted, the news had already spread widely overseas.