China was rocked by violent protests after the death of a teenage boy sparked accusations of a cover-up by authorities in Pucheng in Shaanxi province. Several videos of the demonstrations are circulating on social media, showing protesters hurling objects at police and officers beating people at the scene.
The protests were triggered by the death of a teenage student, at Pucheng Vocational Technical School. The 17-year-old Dang Changxin fell to his death on January 2 in an accident at his dormitory, according to authorities.
But following his death allegations swirled on social media that there had been a cover-up by authorities. Soon after, protests erupted and reportedly lasted for a few days. However, the demonstrations were apparently quelled earlier this week, according to a BBC report.
Public demonstrations are not unheard of in China. However, authorities have been particularly wary of public protests since 2022, when "White Paper" demonstrations against Beijing's hardline policies during the Covid-19 pandemic saw rare criticism of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and President Xi Jinping.
What Authorities Said About Dang's Death?
Quoting a statement from investigators, CNN reported that the teenager had a physical and verbal altercation with a first-year student named Guo over "disturbing his rest" in his dormitory. The argument was reportedly resolved by a school official at the hat night.
However, later that night around 3.00 am, another student in Dang's dormitory found a wooden stool under the window and discovered Dang had fallen from the window to the ground below, as reported by CNN.
"The sliding window was open, and the metal mesh screen had been removed. Dang had already fallen from the window to the ground below," the statement said as quoted by CNN.
Allegations of Cover-up
Reporting on Dang's death, Human Rights In China, a US-based activist group, highlighted "suspicious circumstances" leading to his death, including witness reports of "signs of a struggle" in the dormitory. It also suggested that Dang was "pushed from the roof."
The group claimed that Dang's family was not allowed to properly see his dead body. "After repeated demands, Dang's mother was allowed to see her son at the funeral home. Her brief viewing revealed a bruise on his neck, but teachers forcibly stopped her from inspecting the body further or taking photos. This was her only opportunity to see her son's body," the group said in a statement on X.
The teenager's family has rejected the official explanation of his death and claimed that photos from his cell phone had been deleted, Reuters reported.
