Massive protests erupted in Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province, following a campus bullying incident, where authorities not only violently suppressed the protests but also tried to dispel rumors that the parents of the bullies were not offspring of government officials. They also arrested individuals labeled as “rumor spreaders.” It is rumored that authorities are investigating the influence of so-called “foreign forces” within the state-owned enterprise system. This incident has garnered international attention, with activists abroad launching immediate support actions. Several local officials involved in suppressing the protesters had their personal information exposed by international hackers.
In recent days, in Jiangyou City, under the jurisdiction of Mianyang City, Sichuan Province, a 14-year-old girl was taken by peers to an unfinished construction site, where she was forced to undress and subjected to insults and physical abuse. The perpetrators recorded a video of the incident and uploaded it online, sparking public outrage and leading to widespread protests. At the Jiangyou City government entrance, many protesting citizens were arrested, publicly loaded into pig transport vehicles, and taken away. The violent actions of the police sparked resistance from the public. Around midnight, authorities initiated a violent crackdown to clear the area.
The suppression of the Jiangyou protests has attracted international attention. Several accounts on social media platform X shared a documentary about the Jiangyou incident.
On August 6, the Chairman of the China Democratic Party International Alliance, Jie Libuild, released a video expressing support for the people of Jiangyou, burning the Communist Party flag outside the Los Angeles consulate, calling for the removal of Xi Jinping and the Communist Party from power. He stated, “Today we speak up for Lai Jinghan, the bullying victim, and her deaf-mute mother. If we stay silent today, the next bullying victim could be our children. Friends who frequent the Los Angeles Chinese consulate to apply for visas have witnessed the bloody governance methods of the Communist Party. The CCP’s suppression of victims who raise issues is prioritized above everything else in Communist China. In today’s online world, no matter what means the CCP uses, it cannot conceal its crimes, only hasten the downfall of the CCP tyranny.”
As of August 6, there are ongoing discussions on social media platform X.
A user named “Freedom Bird” posted on X, saying, “In the Jiangyou incident in Sichuan, the domestic situation is heating up. We must not let voices disappear. Overseas, keep the momentum going. ‘Li Bai sails his boat, arriving in Jiangyou to face bullying; dial 110 on your phone, catch good people and ordinary citizens.'”
Jiangyou is rumored to be the birthplace of the famous Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai, with a “Li Bai Memorial Hall” in the area.
An overseas netizen expressed, “One person, one phone call, bombard these human rights criminals.”
On August 5, personal information of officials involved in the crackdown on protesting citizens, such as Deputy Mayor and Public Security Bureau Director Wang Zhifei, Deputy Secretary of Jiangyou City Political and Legal Committee Fu Shoujun, and Deputy Director of Jiangyou City Public Security Bureau Chen Zhen, were exposed by the X account “Chinese Human Rights Accountability Database.”
American scholar Wu Zuolai suggested to the people of Jiangyou on social media X: firstly, visit the homes of local military and police officials or write postcards to them, urging the families of officials and police officers to advise their children not to participate in violently suppressing protesting citizens and not to provoke the public. Secondly, mutual assistance among civilians, providing legal support and donating small funds to those imprisoned in the struggle, ensuring frontline activists have livelihood support and are not isolated and helpless.
Renowned human rights activist Chen Guangcheng posted, “The Jiangyou incident in Sichuan once again proves that the higher levels of the communist party’s organizational system are more evil and brutal, and the party’s bad practices trickle down. Secondly, do not hold any illusions about the communist party. The communist party is the enemy of the people, only by ending communist autocratic rule can a civilized political system that upholds social justice be established. Thirdly, there must be a strategic organization, accumulating strength to single out and target decision-makers and enforcers of evil actions to make the communist party accomplices pay a hundred percent cost and increase the price of evil deeds. Fourthly, while reasoning with thugs and robbers, one must understand that bandits do not reason, preparations for a possible armed confrontation with the communist party and its henchmen must be made. Only when similar incidents arise is there a chance to generate a wildfire-like momentum. Only by drawing international attention can the communist party regime be changed.”
On August 5, online police from Mianyang reported that on August 4, netizens Ding (female, 41 years old) and Yang Lin (female, 27 years old) were labeled as “fabricating rumors” to gain attention after seeing the video of the assault circulating online. They shared the false information on WeChat groups and social platforms, causing public dissemination and disruption of public order. It was claimed that both Ding and Yang Lin received administrative penalties.
The police report mentioned that online information included claims like “the daughter of the Deputy Director of Jiangyou Public Security Bureau was involved in beating people,” “the father of the perpetrators is a lawyer,” and “the biological mother of the perpetrators is a first-class police inspector in Jiangyou.” Upon verification, it was determined that the occupational information of the parents of the three offenders was falsely circulated as “rumors.”
According to previous online disclosures, the victimized girl’s mother is deaf-mute, and the girl has frequently been subjected to bullying. The perpetrators were reportedly taken to the police station but quickly released due to their status as minors.
On August 4, the Mianyang Public Security Bureau issued a report stating that the victim was only slightly injured according to evaluations and that only two of the assaulters were given “administrative penalties,” while the others received “criticism and education.” On the same day, the victim’s parents knelt before local officials, and a large number of citizens gathered at the Jiangyou City government demanding justice for the assaulted girl. An interviewee mentioned possibly thousands of people present. Mianyang City sent a large number of riot police (estimated by some interviewees to be over a thousand) to violently suppress the gathering.
Photos circulating online on August 5 showed heavy police deployment in Jiangyou City, with streets nearly deserted and certain sections barricaded, leaving only a small opening for access. Social media account “Li Chengpeng (the real Big Brother)” posted on August 5, stating, “…compared to past incidents in Shishi, Wengan, and Wukan, the scale and intensity of the Jiangyou protests are not significant. But during the rapid economic development of China, people always have hope. Now, with the economic downturn and various injustices, people have no hope for the future. Any spark can ignite.”
The account further mentioned that a young man in black in Jiangyou urged everyone, “Don’t attack the police officers; the police officers are for the people, the police officers have a conscience, what we want is dialogue.” They, together, chanted “Long live Chairman Mao.” However, the police forcibly apprehended him as he spoke. The entire process was filled with a sense of absurdity and drama.
The article concludes by raising questions about the young man’s knowledge of history and his actions, drawing parallels to historical events and emphasizing the intrinsic need for freedom among the people, urging them not to remain oppressed. Screenshots circulated online on Weibo’s Jiangyou discussion thread, suggesting that foreign influences may be manipulating the situation.