The death of Wei Wenhua, and subsequent public outrage, has inspired heads of the “urban management forces” (城管) to speak out:
Heads of China’s nationwide urban inspection force have openly criticized their officers for beating to death a bystander man who filmed a protest, in a rare admission of abuse of power.
Over 100 local leaders of the force, known as the «chengguan» in Chinese, issued a joint letter saying the killing in the central city of Tianmen, apparently by chengguan members, had sparked «deep concern and reflection.
«Hawks» in their midst regularly «spoke roughly and acted boorishly,» wore helmets and body armor, and carried handcuffs and other specialized equipment, the statement said. [Full text]
Numerous photos, videos and witness reports on excessive violence used by “chengguan” forces have appeared on the Chinese Internet. A blogger even made a t-shirt on this theme:
From He Xin’s blog:
Introducing the t-shirt [Popular online jingle]:
Eight Honors on the Left
Eight Disgraces on the Right
Three Represents on the waist
Harmonious Society in front of the chest
If a person gets in my way I will kill a person
If Buddha gets in my way I will kill Buddha.
Eight Honors
Eight Disgraces
“Three represents”
“Harmonious society”
“Chengguan executing the law”
“If a person gets in my way I will kill a person”
“If Buddha gets in my way I will kill Buddha”
Read CDT’s previous coverage of actions by the “chengguan” forces here.
