In a protest against the lack of progress in his longstanding rights advocacy efforts, 70-year-old Shanghai petitioner Liu Dongbao recently voiced his discontent by calling for “down with the Communist Party” at the Jing’an District Commission for Discipline Inspection. Liu visited Zhongnanhai in Beijing at the end of April, where he was once again detained by the police on charges of “inciting disturbances.” Liu believes that officials are more afraid of petitioners going to Zhongnanhai to report grievances than of them calling for the downfall of the Communist Party.
Liu Dongbao resides on Wuding Road in the Jing’an District’s Jiangning Street. On December 7, 2023, more than thirty urban management personnel were brought in by the street office and demolished Liu Dongbao’s household items without presenting any documentation or prior notice. When Liu tried to reason with them, he was physically assaulted and sustained head injuries. Seeking accountability for the unjust actions, Liu was then robbed of over thirty items by the urban management officials who entered his home, and these items have not been returned to him to this day.
Upon his first assault, Liu Dongbao, unsatisfied with the treatment, went to Zhongnanhai to voice his grievances. Shanghai officials retaliated by arresting him on charges of “inciting disturbances” without any valid reasons, according to Liu.
Despite facing multiple detentions and being held in solitary confinement numerous times, Liu Dongbao remains steadfast in his petitions, demanding accountability for the illegal actions of urban management and the return of his confiscated belongings, yet no one has paid attention to his pleas.
On March 14, 2025, Liu Dongbao returned to the Jing’an District Commission for Discipline Inspection to address the issues he faced. Frustrated by the officials’ indifferent attitude, he shouted, “down with the Communist Party!” in the office lobby.
In April 2025, Liu Dongbao attempted another visit to Zhongnanhai but was intercepted and returned to Shanghai by the local stability maintenance personnel before reaching his destination. He was once again detained on charges of “inciting disturbances.”
Liu Dongbao stated that individuals are being apprehended under various circumstances, whether they are walking on the streets or in vehicles. He emphasized that authorities are more fearful of petitioners going to Zhongnanhai than they are of them calling for the downfall of the Communist Party.
Facing prolonged oppression and difficulties in safeguarding their rights, Shanghai petitioners remain resilient and unwavering in their struggles.
Senior Shanghai petitioner Ma Yalian expressed to Epoch Times that the authorities have resorted to using underworld tactics to intercept and suppress citizens, pushing the people into a state of opposition. She criticized the country, stating, “The current situation in this country is akin to a lawless era. It’s a time of ‘survival of the fittest,’ where rights are ignored, people are deceived, and laws are trampled upon. It is truly a period of tyranny and lawlessness.”
Ma Yalian experienced forced demolition in 1998, and the temporary resettlement housing approved by the higher court was illegally occupied by hired thugs, leaving her homeless ever since. She currently resides in a hotel. The authorities have deployed three to four individuals to monitor and track her around the clock. When Ma reported this to the police, they turned a blind eye upon learning that those individuals were dispatched by the local neighborhood committee. Ma Yalian believes this collaboration is the result of her street committee working in tandem with law enforcement to maintain stability.
Despite being subject to two forced labor sentences and enduring torture, resulting in her legs being fractured and requiring her to use crutches for life, Ma Yalian remains resolute in exposing the oppression and persecution faced by demolition victims and petitioners. Her nearly 80-year-old mother suffered from severe health issues and was hospitalized due to the stress. Ma has also been silenced by the authorities, preventing her from publishing numerous articles online.
Ma Yalian asserted that without systemic change, China has no way forward. The channels for petitioning grievances have been blocked, as have avenues for seeking justice through legal means. She questioned the government’s intentions, stating, “I don’t know what this government wants to achieve; it seems like they want to push the people into rebellion.”