Police officer in China faces nationwide outrage for beating child accused of bullying
Government has mandated that schools hold anti-bullying meetings twice per term, install surveillance cameras in hidden areas
A police officer in China ignited nationwide outrage after he slapped and kicked a primary school boy for allegedly bullying other children.
Surveillance video footage circulating online shows the officer assaulting the boy and pulling his hair near Hongzhuang Primary School in a county in northwestern China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region. Another officer stood by and watched the incident unfold.
Following the event on November 22, the 12-year-old child’s mother took to social media to demand justice for her son, prompting widespread outrage online.
On November 24, local police announced the dismissal of the officer, who had beaten the boy, identified by the surname Wang, and who served as the deputy director of the county’s police office. The police also required Wang to apologise to the boy, surnamed Ma, and his family.
The police office’s parent unit accompanied Ma to the hospital for a medical examination, which revealed several bruises on his face and lower back.
The police report further clarified the circumstances surrounding the incident. Wang and his colleague, auxiliary police officer Dai, were called to the school after a parent of a Primary Three student reported their child was being bullied.
