Officials in Jiangyou, a city in southern China, were taken aback by the magnitude and intensity of protests following the circulation of a video depicting a 14-year-old girl being violently bullied by her classmates.
In typical fashion, law enforcement responded aggressively, using batons against the parents involved in the situation.
A troubling series of videos emerged from China, showcasing a group of female bullies who slapped, punched, and kicked another girl. It appears the footage was recorded by one of the attackers in late July, perhaps as a means of relishing the victim’s humiliation. In one clip, the victim reported being beaten with a stick.
This was the content of the video, shot in an abandoned building where the bullies targeted their victim. The girl ended up on the floor, pleading for mercy as the assault continued.
Officials from the Chinese Communist regime seemed genuinely surprised by how swiftly the video went viral, as well as the how large the outcry was from local parents. Despite their attempts to erase the content from social media and websites, the sheer speed of its circulation overwhelmed their efforts. Jiangyou quickly became a trending topic on Weibo, as censorship failed to keep pace.
One major reason for the outrage among the community was the light punishments handed down to the bullies. Two of them were sent to so-called “correctional education schools” and were detained for just 15 days. The third bully, along with others who had merely watched the attack, received warnings with no real consequences.
In one shocking clip, one of the bullies expresses pride in her actions, seemingly untouched by any punishment.
Another aspect that caught public attention was the long history of torment faced by the victim, who had reportedly endured bullying for a considerable time. Her mother, who is deaf, didn’t reach out to the school for help. During the protests, the victim’s parents were seen kneeling, begging for justice from officials who seemed indifferent.
China has long struggled with issues relating to school bullying, compounded by a competitive academic environment.
An earlier case in 2023 involved a 14-year-old boy from Henan who took his own life, with his parents claiming he had been bullied. In response, the government initiated a nationwide campaign against such incidents, yet the situation in Jiangyou reignited public anger.
Protests unfolded outside a government office in Jiangyou, gathering over 1,000 people late into the night.
The protesters aimed to present themselves as patriotic citizens cooperating with the government. They often sang the National Anthem but also chanted for democracy, a plea not welcomed by those in power.
Police responded forcefully, deploying batons and other means to suppress the protests.
An observer questioned the aggressive police tactics used against an elderly woman during the unrest.
Protesters raised concerns about being forcibly removed, which incited further tension between officers and bystanders.
Similar to the bullying video, graphic footage of the police crackdown was swiftly deleted from China’s internet, although some managed to evade censorship, reigniting discussions across various platforms. Meanwhile, local residents in Jiangyou have avoided questions from international media.
Chinese officials commented on the incident, attempting to refute rumors that suggested political connections protected the bullies from harsher repercussions.
One protester pressed the issue, suggesting that the victim’s attackers were children of influential local officials, thus hinting at favoritism.
The local “Cyber Police” claimed that the parents of two of the bullies had low-wage jobs, attempting to dismiss the idea of privilege. They further announced that individuals spreading rumors regarding the bullies’ family would face consequences.
