No doubt the 3 of you who read my blog have heard about the incident in Sanlitun on Friday night (Sept. 21). If you haven’t, read the following articles:
- Beijing Boyce: Sanlitun smackdown targets blacks
- Africabeat: Beijing: Chinese police beat up Africans
- Reuters: Beijing police raid busy bar district for drugs
- Zhongnanhai Blog: Black men are rounded up and beaten in Sanlitun drug sting
Particularly, the Africabeat article has eyewitness quotes such as:
- “I think a lot of [foreigners] tonight were left questioning their decision to live here.”
- “I have not really ever seen anything so brutal,” my friend told me. “There was blood all over the street. I will not sleep well for a long time.”
- This is not the first “roundup” of “drug dealers” of its kind in Sanlitun, but was apparently more brutal than usual.
I like this quote in the Zhongnanhai blog:
- The ambassador mentioned in the article that his son was beaten for no reason. He ended up spending the night in hospital.
Um, obviously he was beaten for a reason. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the police had orders. There, that’s your reason…
My favorite quote is the first one above where the person is questioning their decision to live in Beijing. Well, um, I’m certainly not questioning my decision to live here simply from this incident. If anything, it solidifies my decision to live here. One less questionable person is better for everyone’s safety. I’ve certainly seen these drug dealers many times and have been approached with “hey man…” or “sup?”. But I ignore and move on. But I often question why the authorities are allowing, or turning the blind eye, to this kind of garbage.
It’s one thing to have this kind of stuff going on in the back alleys where you need to know someone who knows someone who knows the password to get into a basement apartment… but this is happening right on the streets in front of legit establishments in the heart of sanlitun. One of the comments in one of the above linked articles labeled Sanlitun as “seedy”. It is certainly getting that way and it’s a shame.
While I may not agree totally with the tactics of the authorities (racial profiling), something had to be done and this is simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Here’s some advice to anyone who is worried about something like this happening to them, regardless of their skin color:
- Don’t hang out in previously-known shady areas
- Don’t loiter with shady looking fellows
- Don’t look guilty
- Oh, and if the Chinese authorities come running after you with long sticks, DON’T RUN! Idiots…
There, simple as that. If you’re not guilty, you’re not guilty. It’s true that generally speaking, the Chinese authorities leave us foreigners alone to our own devices. Just don’t be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you’ll be left alone.
Oh, and, until we see actual photos or videos of the incident, any “first-hand eye-witness” accounts are total B.S. Everyone has their own agenda influencing what they say.
Take it all with a grain of salt.
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September 25th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Really heard this first time.
Totally support your points. Good comments.
September 25th, 2007 at 11:39 am
I’m still a big fan of this priceless tip:
“3. Don’t look guilty”
Can you elaborate?
September 25th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Oh, and by the way, they could always just adopt the Dutch policy of solving the so-called ‘problem’ by legalising ‘it’. But that might still be quite a few years too early, perhaps
September 25th, 2007 at 11:47 am
I like your last point. But I doubt it will never happen in China within our life time. Maybe after next 10 generations.
September 25th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Ray, Thanks for the thoughtful and unbiased comment.
Tom, regarding your first comment, “Don’t look guilty”… Everyone who has something to hide has a “tell”. This “tell” makes you look guilty. I cannot generalize this as everyone is different and your “tells” could be vastly different from my “tells”, which in turn could be vastly different from the drug dealer’s or even murderer’s “tells”.
People with “tells” give off vibes that others can pick up. It’s science. I haven’t studied it enough to give a concrete example or reasoning. Just accept it and move on.
So, further advice to #3, If you ARE guilty, and cannot shed your “I look guilty” “tells”, then don’t be there! Go home.
Tom, regarding your second comment, I thought this kind of behavior wasn’t “legal” in Holland, but “tolerated”. Could you please confirm?
I’d also like to see concrete, un-adjusted evidence that proves Holland’s system is indeed better than the other systems….
September 25th, 2007 at 11:53 am
“Just accept it and move on.”
Fair play.
About the Dutch system, you’ll find that my comment is merely adding an option, not a recommendation. In your legal/tolerated comment you’re probably referring to what the Dutch call the “gedoogbeleid”. Much more info here:
http://www.answers.com/netherlands%20drugs%20policy
I wonder if we’ll see any YouTube clips appear of what actually happened that night!
September 25th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Yes, I’d like to see concrete evidence of what really went on that night. As I mentioned in my original post, “until we see actual photos or videos of the incident, any “first-hand eye-witness” accounts are total B.S. Everyone has their own agenda influencing what they say.”
Tom, I appreciate you providing an option to this problem, regardless whether the option is a good option or not. Any option is worth considering. I’d have to agree with Ray that we won’t see this option being plausible for at least 10 years - I predict even longer actually.
One things for sure - I *think* the updated visa policies of China (regarding temporary work visas, etc.) will help reduce incidents like this targeting foreigners involved in the drug trade. Of course, this is only a feeling, I don’t have any facts, specifically, whether there are any foreigners involved in drug dealing while in China on a total legit employment visa. I wouldn’t be surprised if there are indeed a few “bad apples” among the legit foreigner community - but I am sure that most of these shady folks aren’t here on long term employment visas.
The relatives of diplomats is another sticky issue…. The whole world may want to reevaluate the whole “diplomatic immunity” situation…
September 25th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
“Any option is worth considering. I’d have to agree with Ray that we won’t see this option being plausible for at least 10 years - I predict even longer actually.”
He actually says 10 “generations” in his post, so more than ~200 years! Hopefully drugs have become designed so well by then that there won’t be any averse effects on health & thus legalisation
j/k
September 25th, 2007 at 1:25 pm
Interesting take on the whole affair. I think you’re right in suggesting that the Chinese police needed to do something about the blatant drug dealing that goes on in Sanlitun. But the recent police action raises a couple of issues - race-based law enforcement and the problem of enforcing law through crackdowns. I think it is unfair that innocent black people were arrested due to the colour of their skin. And the reason why drug dealing is so blatant in Sanlitun is because the police have left it unattended for so long. The problem with relying on crackdowns is that crime will disappear for a short while, but soon reappear. Wouldn’t it be better to maintain a steady and consistent police presence in Sanlitun?
September 25th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
My mistake. You’re right - 10 generations.
I hear inhaling pure oxygen is pretty damn good. Has anyone tried? Doesn’t the China World Hotel have an Oxygen Bar?
September 25th, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Very good point, Xiao Zhu - crackdowns only work for a limited time. Only until the people who would commit the acts feel it is safe enough to return.
And you’re absolutely right that racial profiling is unfair to those who unfortunately are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and are innocent.
But…. It “takes 2 to tango”, so to speak. Those who are innocent - you know a crime is being committed, yet you choose to hang around? And you don’t inform the authorities of the acts that would otherwise give a reasonable doubt as to your involvement?
Before anyone accuses me of going against the points I just made - yes, I know these crimes are going on (at least to some degree, I am sure I don’t know the full story), and yes, I haven’t informed the authorities about it. But I also don’t choose to hang around that area. Why? For one, I don’t want to be bothered by the would-be sellers. Second, Things like these crackdowns do happen. The last thing I want to be is stuck in between - it’s not worth it.
Another interesting point to note - there is a police station probably 100 meters away from where this incident occurred. So one can only imagine what is going through the minds of the criminals conducting their activities that close to a police station…
September 25th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
[…] Archives « People need to relax - Drugs are bad, m’kay? […]
September 25th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I’m still a big fan of this priceless tip:
“3. Don’t look guilty”
Can you elaborate?
“Don’t be black”
September 25th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
hmm, T-Wind, not exactly what I was thinking…
September 25th, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Can’t believe this “don’t hang around in shifty areas without informing on anyone else you see there” attitude you are taking. Sounds like you are well-adapted to the Chinese way.
As for this “tell” stuff, if it’s so different for everybody, how do the police know it? The general consensus these days is that determining truthfulness from demeanour is hopelessly unreliable, and I would have thought that would also apply to any theories about “tell”s.
September 26th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Marcel, thanks for your comment!
I was merely giving those who are unfortunately targeted by stereotypes an option. If they choose not to, then they run the risk of getting caught up in the action. Of course I cannot expect people to spill the beans - as I am guilty of that as well - I know what’s going on there, and I don’t like it (the drug stuff), but I haven’t told the authorities. But I also don’t hang around looking suspicious.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that this applies to pretty much everyone - Chinese, ethnically-african foreigners, and the other foreigners. People make the decision to do bad stuff, they’re guilty. People make the decision to hang around bad stuff but claim innocence? Well, aren’t they kind of aiding and abetting - allowing the crime to occur?
I don’t know, I didn’t study criminal law or anything like that, so I’m just asking and would be interested to hear anyone’s theories.
And Marcel, for your second point, true, “tells” are different for everyone. Probably most likely what happened in this case was the police were told “go get all the black people because at least some of them are guilty”. Unfortunate, but likely…
September 26th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
I will ask one question, I am not sure about the answer.
In US, If you are asked by the police to freeze and follow their orders, what would you do? Once you trying to run away, is there a great opportunity to be shot or to be beaten or nothing happens?
Look forward to the answers.
September 26th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Ray,
Of course, i the U.S., if a police officer tells you to freeze, and you run away, you you’re in big trouble. What the cop will do depends on the situation. Could result in getting shot or hit with his stick…
That’s one of my tips above:
#4: Oh, and if the Chinese authorities come running after you with long sticks, DON’T RUN! Idiots…
November 6th, 2007 at 12:37 am
[…] a few weeks ago I posted about the crackdown on “illegal drugs” in the sanlitun area? (Was it really a crackdown on illegal drugs? Anyone’s guess…) My follow-up post is […]