Ink‑Splash Showdown: Shanghai’s Quirky Protester Gets Handcuffed
What Went Down
- July 4, 2024 – 28‑year‑old Dong Yaoqiong goes live on Twitter, splashing ink on a poster of President Xi Jinping right in Shanghai’s financial district.
- She drops a daring line: “Xi Jinping, I’m right here waiting for you to arrest me.”
- The clip goes viral, retweeted thousands of times, and then—boom—her account is wiped and the police swoop in.
- Her dad, Dong Jianbiao, and artist Hua Yong join the chorus of “Please let her go,” only to be arrested themselves.
Why It Matters
The Chinese government has built a massive personality cult around Xi. Anything that slants even a touch, like a splash of ink, is seen as a direct blow to that narrative.
The Human Rights Angle
Thanks to the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, we’re hearing the real story: the eyes‑winning protester, her dad, and an artist all face what activists call “kidnapping” and “law‑breaking,” not just a simple arrest.
Aftermath Highlights
- Authorities label the defacing of a leader’s image as a serious offense.
- Twitter is blocked in China, but still somehow makes it out via clever software.
- Dong’s dad alleges the arrests were “kidnapping like bandits.”
- Hua Yong, previously detained for exposing migrant evictions in 2017, vanished after his call for help.
- Shanghai police denied any knowledge of the case when contacted.
Bottom Line
One woman’s daring ink splash sparked a chain reaction showing how hard China will go to keep its leaders untouchable. This story reminds us that freedom of speech isn’t free in every corner of the world.
