China demands clarification on deadly Zhuhai car crash while imposing censorship on social media

Chinese authorities have called for a thorough investigation after the massive car accident that left at least 35 dead and 43 seriously injured in Zhuhai (Canton, south), one of the deadliest attacks in the country’s recent history. while censoring the content of this event on social networks.

The incident occurred on Monday at a sports center in the city, but It took nearly 24 hours for local authorities to announce the first official casualty figures..

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for “all possible efforts” to treat the injured and stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the event, state agency Xinhua reported.

For his part, the Prime Minister, Li Qiangalso urged strengthening risk prevention and control to ensure social stability, and asked local authorities to learn lessons from this tragic incident.

The driver, identified as Fan, a 62-year-old man, rammed his car into the crowd before fleeing.

Suspect arrested ‘while holding knife and trying to injure himself’ and, due to the serious injuries he suffered, he remains in hospital detention without being able to be questioned until now, police said, according to reports. Efe.

Authorities said the attack may have been motivated by the inmate’s “dissatisfaction” with the division of property following his recent divorce.

Shock in China

The attack sparked a wave of reactions on the social network Weibo – similar to X, censored in China -, where Internet users expressed dismay and anger.

“Unbelievable! It’s hard to believe that someone could be so ruthless. Unsatisfied with the division of property after the divorce, he decided to direct his hatred against innocent people and ended up causing the deaths of 35 innocent people!” wrote one user, reflecting general disbelief.

Other comments highlighted a disturbing trend in these crimes.

“The common denominator between these cases is that These are middle-aged or older men, single or divorcedand with dissatisfaction with a specific event. To solve this problem, it is necessary to pay more attention to single or divorced elderly people, resolving and mediating conflicts to minimize the possibility of similar incidents,” posted another user, linking to the event to previous cases.

However, The discussion on the networks was not without controversyespecially for comments accusing the suspect’s ex-wife.

“When someone commits a crime, the first thing they do is look for a close woman to blame. If he has a girlfriend, the fault is that she doesn’t control him. If he doesn’t have a girlfriend, it’s because no one controls him,” criticized an Internet user, referring to the misogynistic opinions that appeared after learning the context of the affair.

The censorship acted quickly to remove many images shared in these publications, which intensified the debate over information management in China after these types of events.

Solidarity after the accident

The attack also generated a wave of solidarity among citizens of the southern Chinese city, which is currently hosting the 15th Zhuhai Aviation Fair.

In the early morning after the incident, according to various local media, many people spontaneously went to blood donation centers to offer urgent help to the injured.

Images shared on the Asian giant’s platforms reveal long lines of people, including uniformed employees, waiting to undergo pre-donation testing.

Over the past year, indiscriminate attacks on pedestrians have increased in the Asian giant.usually carried out by knife-wielding attackers, and other attacks on crowds have also been recorded.

Last year, a collision with a crowd of pedestrians, also in the province of Guangzhou, left six dead and 29 injured.

The local press and Internet users generally refer to these episodes as “revenge against society”, because they are attacks in which the perpetrator acts against innocent people, motivated by frustration due to legal, sentimental or commercial conflicts. .