As China enters a state of heightened alert ahead of a large-scale military parade, a new form of 'remote protest' that mocks the authorities by exploiting advanced surveillance systems has emerged, causing a stir. A dissident who escaped from China projected anti-government slogans in the middle of a major city and secretly filmed the chaotic actions of the police trying to stop it, releasing the footage to the world. Despite the authorities arresting the protester's family as retaliation, evaluations suggest that cracks have appeared in the seemingly impenetrable surveillance system.
According to The Times on Nov. 2 (local time), the incident occurred around 10 p.m. on Aug. 29 near a university area in Chongqing, China. Giant slogans projected onto the walls of high-rise buildings appeared. The messages included: "There can be no new China without the Communist Party," "People who refuse to be slaves, arise," and "Let's topple red fascism and overthrow Communist tyranny." The protest lasted about 50 minutes until the police were able to trace the origin.
In the video, police who were dispatched after receiving a report confirmed that the projector was emitting from a nearby room in Mama Hotel and quickly opened the door. However, the room was empty, with only the projector left sitting by the window. A letter left for the police on the table included the message: "Even though you may be beneficiaries of the system today, you will eventually be destined to become victims on this land," and asked, "Please treat the people kindly." While the officers fumbled to turn off the projector, one cop discovered a small camera filming them and pointed at it in surprise.
The person who planned and executed all these situations identified as a man in his 40s named 'Chi Hong.' He had already left China with his wife and two daughters nine days before the protest and arrived in London, England. He reserved a hotel room for several days, set up the projector and cameras, and then remotely operated the equipment from the UK. He edited the footage of the police bursting into the room and the protest slogans and spread it on social media. The New York Times (NYT) described this act as "performance art that turned the state's watchful gaze back on itself."
Chi Hong, born in a rural village near Chongqing in 1982, dropped out of school at 16 and moved to the city, working as a factory laborer and sanitation worker. In an NYT interview, he stated that being detained and beaten by police due to not having a temporary residence permit during his youth led him to distrust authority. He felt fear regarding the Communist Party's governance methods by reading George Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm," and gradually began to voice critical opinions.
This protest was inspired by the 'blank paper protests' that shook China in 2022 and the activist Peng Li Fa, who was dubbed 'Bridge Man' for unfurling anti-government banners on a bridge in Beijing. Chi Hong told The Times, "I wanted to send a message that students should rise against dictatorship." He added, "I hope my actions become a small spark that ignites a wildfire."
Videos of the protest spread rapidly both inside and outside China. One post recorded 18 million views within four days. The Chinese authorities immediately retaliated. They arrested one of Chi Hong's brothers and a friend, and interrogated his elderly mother living in the countryside. Chi Hong stated that he did not inform anyone about the plan except for his wife. Popular Chinese blogger Li Ying told the NYT, "His actions demonstrated that the Communist Party's control is not perfect," and analyzed that it dealt a serious blow to the authorities, who poured immense resources into maintaining stability ahead of the military parade.