Official vs. cameraman

This short clip, shot on June 30, records Wang Yanlong, a township party secretary in Luquan, Hebei Province, chasing the cameraman and beating up demonstrators who try to interfere. See below for details.


The signs indicate that the demonstrators were protesting against trial delays – one of the banners reads 超期审理违法 “extended trials are illegal.”

A BBS post explains some of the background behind the incident. After listing off the major officials who had lunch at the restaurant, it describes the day in question:

The demonstrators had gone to petition at the Luquan People’s Court at 10 that morning and had waited outside the court gates for more than two hours in the 40 degree heat before the officials listed above came out and got into their cars, but they did not pay any attention to the demonstrators! When the demonstrators learned that the cars were parked at the restaurant, they hurried over but were again denied an audience: they were only interested in feasting at a high-class restaurant! So the demonstrators suffered for another hour or more in the 40-plus heat, hungry, until the leaders finally emerged having eaten their fill.

Wang Yanlong, village secretary of Shanyin in Luquan, had invited the individuals listed above to lunch that day in rooms 502 and 503 of the restaurant. When he came out and saw the demonstrators he was enraged, and his anger only increased when he saw that someone was filming! He charged up the seize the camera, and when the demonstrators came over to protect it, Wang lashed out with foul language, kicks, and punches, and kept in the fray! Fortunately the camera was not entirely destroyed so that it was still able to record the shocking scene of a public servant abusing the people!

The BBS thread has some action shots clipped from the video and copies of the officials’ lunch receipts.

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