During the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, the Chinese mainland travel influencer, known as “Instructor Zhang,” and others stayed at the Paris EVA Air Hotel and caused a stir by insisting on displaying the five-starred Chinese flag. In response to this incident, overseas Chinese Fang Zhou and his friend Li Jun (alias) decided to release a video of them stepping on the Chinese flag as a protest and to show support for Taiwan businesses.
After the video was released, it garnered widespread attention, and their personal information was also exposed. Their families in mainland China faced pressure from the Chinese authorities, with police visiting their homes and demanding the deletion of the video.
On August 13, when “Instructor Zhang” and his group arrived at the Paris EVA Air Hotel, they noticed that the hotel did not display the five-starred Chinese flag. They requested to hang their own flag but were refused by the front desk, leading them to ask for a room refund.
Later, they brought in a chef who claimed to work at the hotel. The chef stated that he had protested the flag issue three times and that the flag was initially hung but was intentionally removed by the hotel management.
On August 16, various Chinese community associations and chambers of commerce in France jointly held a meeting to condemn the Paris EVA Air Hotel for not displaying the five-starred Chinese flag. Some expressed deep hatred towards the hotel, while others mentioned organizing legal teams to further investigate the incident.
Fang Zhou told a reporter, “In response to the unjust bullying of Taiwanese businesses, on the 20th, my friend and I decided to express our protest by releasing a video. My friend stepped on the Chinese flag in front of the EVA Air Hotel and held a banner that read ‘Taiwan is not equal to China.’ Through this action, we hope to oppose China’s bullying of Taiwan businesses.”
The video quickly gained attention within two days of its release, spreading widely on social media platforms in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, sparking a flurry of comments and discussions among netizens.
Fang Zhou explained, “My friend and I were doxxed, and many internet users demanded punishment, leading to a series of consequences. Due to the video’s circulation, our families were threatened by police visits demanding the deletion of the video. Our families cried out of safety concerns and strongly urged us to stop our actions. Their lives have been severely impacted, leaving them feeling helpless and fearful.”
Fang Zhou’s online pseudonym is “ziyoufujian自由福建,” and he currently resides in Iceland. In his bio, he expressed gratitude to Taiwan for allowing Fujian descendants to live freely and democratically, exposing the truth behind China (the CCP) and revealing the stories behind the news. He stands against the dictatorship of the Communist Party.