Chinese authorities are censoring commentary and public displays of mourning after a man drove into a crowd on Monday evening, resulting in nearly three dozen deaths in one of the country’s deadliest mass murders in recent years.
A 62-year-old man surnamed Fan is suspected of mowing down exercisers after driving his SUV into the Zhuhai People’s Fitness Plaza in the southeastern province of Guangdong, killing 35 and severely injuring 43. The police didn’t release the official death toll until a day later.
Early on, authorities attempted to keep a lid on the incident. The BBC reported that upon learning its news team was present, security guards began photographing the journalists and making calls. Video shows a man in civilian clothes interrupting the newscast, angrily demanding to see a press card, grabbing the BBC correspondent, and trying to block the camera lens.
Michael Zhang/AFP via Getty Images
Mobilizing cadres posing as concerned citizens to disrupt foreign media coverage of sensitive events is a common tactic of local officials in China.
On Tuesday, local residents began laying bouquets and candles outside the complex, now closed until further notice, but by Wednesday afternoon, these had been removed, according to The Associated Press. Uniformed and plainclothes police were also stopping people from assembling or taking photos, according to media reports.
In addition, video footage showing the aftermath of the attack, including people lying on the ground, was quickly scrubbed from Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Xiaohongshu, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.
Social media discussions inside China’s Great Firewall that involve violent incidents, disasters, and politically sensitive developments are closely monitored, with comments that stray from the official narrative often removed.
“Competent authorities have released police statements. It is learned so far that no foreign national was injured or killed in this incident. Let me point out that China is one of the safest countries with the lowest crime rate in the world.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Wednesday when asked about the incident, the latest in a series of deadly public attacks in Chinese cities, and the potential impact on tourism.
中国珠海的一座体育中心发生汽车冲撞人群事件，导致35人死亡、43人受伤，这是近年来该国发生的最严重的袭击案件之一。
警察通报称，嫌疑人在自残后仍然昏迷，调查显示其因为离婚后对财产分割结果不满，继而犯案。
BBC驻中国记者麦笛文（Stephen McDonell）来到现场报导，遭遇不明身份男子阻挠采访。 pic.twitter.com/2G2HqJDFWN
— BBC News 中文 (@bbcchinese) November 13, 2024
Lin added that the government “has always taken and will continue to take effective measures to fully protect people’s safety and uphold social stability.”
While Beijing is playing down the incident publicly, the attack appears to have concerned officials.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for “severe punishment” for the attacker.
During a Party committee meeting of the Ministry of Public Security on Wednesday, members stressed the need to quickly establish the facts of the case, severely punish the perpetrator in accordance with the law, and coordinate with relevant departments on treating the wounded, according to a ministry statement.
Officials also vowed to tighten prevention and control measures in crowded places.
Fan was detained at the scene on suspicion of “endangering public safety.” He was found unconscious with self-inflicted knife wounds, including to his neck, and was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry with a written request for comment.
