Tragedy in China Leads to Tightened Control and Heightened Tensions
The gates of the Zhuhai sports complex remained firmly shut, casting the entire stadium into darkness. Hours earlier, this very site became the scene of a horrific tragedy when a man drove an SUV into a crowd, claiming the lives of dozens and leaving many more injured.
When reporters from the BBC arrived to document the aftermath, only a few security guards were visible within the fenced perimeter. Their assignment seemed clear: keep journalists at a distance. One guard approached, questioning if they were journalists. When asked why he wanted to know, he answered vaguely, saying it was “just to understand the situation.” Soon after, he and another guard began taking photos of the reporters, making phone calls, and observing them closely.
Outside the locked gates, passersby gathered, trying to catch a glimpse of what had unfolded. Yet, a small group among them was fixated on the journalists themselves. One woman called out to others, exclaiming, “Look, foreigners, foreigners.” A man from the group then interrupted the reporting, grabbing a BBC correspondent and demanding they leave.
In China, this response to sensitive events is not uncommon. In similar cases, local Communist Party officials have organized groups of supporters—posing as angry citizens—to target and intimidate foreign journalists. Instead of stopping stories from spreading, these tactics often backfire, casting China in a negative light.
After the death of former Premier Li Keqiang last year, a similar strategy was employed. As journalists arrived at the late Premier’s family home, they were surrounded by loyalists shouting and shoving. Li’s sudden passing carried political weight, as he was known as a figure from a more liberal era. His death marked the firm entrenchment of President Xi Jinping’s loyalists in the government.
But these kinds of tactics extend beyond high-profile figures. Last month, for example, when a man randomly attacked and killed shoppers in a Shanghai mall, authorities acted swiftly to erase any trace of the incident. By the following morning, the mall had reopened as if nothing had happened—no crime scene tape, no signs of memorial for the victims.
While officials may feel the need to minimize public displays of violence, the approach also raises questions. The tragic attack in Zhuhai was not an isolated incident; similar acts of violence have occurred in other cities. Onlookers are left wondering why such attacks keep happening and what might be driving individuals to commit such unthinkable acts.
Hours after the BBC’s encounter outside the Zhuhai site, police reinforcements arrived to maintain order. Residents soon gathered to mourn the victims, lighting candles in their memory. Meanwhile, on social media, videos circulated showing lines of volunteers at hospitals offering to donate blood for the injured.
President Xi Jinping has urged officials to better address societal issues, aiming to prevent future tragedies. Yet, the mystery lingers—what leads someone to commit such a horrifying act? For now, the answers remain painfully out of reach.
