Protest happens infrequently in China, triggered by viral school bullying incident
A severe school bullying incident in the city of Jiangyou, Sichuan province, has sparked nationwide outrage and rare protests, as well as a strong public reaction in China. The incident, which involved the assault and verbal abuse of a 14-year-old girl by three other students, came to light in early August 2025.
Videos of the attack, which showed at least two people being forcibly pulled aside by a group of blue-shirted and plainclothes police, as well as a woman being dragged away by her limbs outside the city hall, went viral online [1][3]. The victim, from a poor family with a disabled mother and handicapped father, was repeatedly targeted and isolated at school.
The incident exposed perceived systemic failures of local government and law enforcement to address grievances effectively, highlighting concerns about corruption and ineffectiveness [1]. The case renewed national debates on school bullying, following prior government pledges in 2024 to strengthen measures against bullying after high-profile cases, but it raised questions about implementation and enforcement at local levels [4].
In response to the protests, SWAT teams and special police forces were deployed to quell demonstrations, often using harsh measures such as baton charges and electric prods, leading to arrests and a violent crackdown on protesters [2][3]. Two suspected attackers were detained by local police [2].
Yesterday, two teenage girls were sent to a correctional school for assaulting and verbally abusing a 14-year-old girl surnamed Lai. One top-liked Weibo comment under the police statement reads, "The sentence is too light... that is why they were so arrogant" [5]. The suspects, all aged under 14 at the time of the incident, were accused of bullying a 13-year-old classmate over a long period before killing him in an abandoned greenhouse [6].
In December, a court sentenced a teenage boy to life in prison for murdering his classmate [7]. Another boy was given 12 years in prison, while a third whom the court found did not harm the victim was sentenced to correctional education [8]. The onlookers and a third girl who participated in the abuse were criticized and educated, and their guardians were ordered to exercise strict discipline [9].
Today, local authorities said on WeChat that police had punished two people for fabricating information about the school bullying case [10]. The case drew outrage online from some who felt the teenagers' punishment did not go far enough [5]. Yesterday, people gathered outside the city hall in Jiangyou, Sichuan province, with large crowds stretching around the block [11]. The city of Jiangyou was the second top-trending topic on X-like Weibo before it was censored [12].
Bullying in China's ultra-competitive education system has sparked national debate, following a high-profile killing last year [13]. Protests are rare in China, where opposition to the ruling Communist Party and anything seen as a threat to civil order is swiftly quashed [14]. This event is considered one of the most explosive grassroots protests in China in recent years, illustrating rare public mobilization over social justice issues and government accountability concerning school violence [1][3].
References:
- BBC News
- Reuters
- The Guardian
- South China Morning Post
- CNN
- CBS News
- The New York Times
- AFP
- CGTN
- South China Morning Post
- Reuters
- The Guardian
- BBC News
- The Washington Post
- The severe school bullying incident in China, which resulted in a 14-year-old girl's assault, has led to concerns about the effectiveness of local government and law enforcement in addressing grievances, as seen in Malaysia's political sphere.
- Despite the police detaining two suspects involved in the school bullying case, the sentence given to the teenage girls convicted of assault and verbal abuse was criticized for being too light, echoing debates on crime and justice in general news.
- The recent school bullying case in Jiangyou, Sichuan province, has sparked a wave of protests, demonstrating increasing demands for political accountability and social justice in education, much like heated debates seen in discussions on corruption and ineffectiveness.
