How many police officers does it take to neutralise a single unarmed protester? According to a video purported to be from China, it takes at least 10 highly disciplined members of law enforcement, as well as some bespoke blue banners.
In footage that emerged on Thursday, black-clad officers are shown practising a drill to surround a single person holding up a white piece of paper – an item that became the symbol of the anti-lockdown protests that rocked several major Chinese cities at the end of last year, and the demonstrations against the security laws imposed on Hong Kong in 2020.
The white papers are a nod to rampant censorship, as Chinese people cannot write slogans on protest signs without fear of arrest.
网友投稿
— 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele) February 16, 2023
在微信视频号刷到一个演习视频，具体时间不详
但是可以看出，有关部门已经就如何应对举白纸等行为进行了针对性训练。 pic.twitter.com/lbFNeCDXln
The drill appears to be taking place in a public square. Members of the public have stopped to observe as officers rush forward in pairs to surround the model protester with large blue banners, completely obscuring him from view. The banner-holders then disperse to reveal a protester held on each side by an officer, no white paper in sight.
The Guardian could not independently verify the the video, or where it was filmed. The logo on the banners matches that of mainland China’s police, and one observing officer in a blue shirt wears standard police uniform.
The video was shared on Twitter by an account called Mr Li is not your teacher, which is run by a man surnamed Li, a Chinese artist based in Italy. His account became prominent during last year’s protests after he started sharing videos and pictures from the demonstrations that were either censored on Chinese social media, or which people were afraid to post themselves because of potential repercussions from the authorities.
