Inspired by ‘bridge man’ protest in Beijing, anti-Xi activist detained in Bangkok

An exiled Chinese dissident was arrested by the police in the Thai capital of Bangkok for staging a lone street protest against China’s president Xi Jinping, a Radio Free Asia report said.

The dissident was identified as veteran rights activist Li Nanfei who has been stranded in Thailand for several years.

Li, a UN-registered refugee told RFA that he was inspired by the ‘bridge man’ who held a banner against Xi on the Sitong Bridge highway flyover on the eve of the Communist Party Congress in Beijing.

Chinese dissident Li Nanfei arrested in Thailand for protesting Xi’s dictatorship in Bangkok. He is now under police custody and faces deportation to China, where he will likely be persecuted. Li is a UNHCR recognized refugee and I’ve written an email to @UNHCRThailand for help. pic.twitter.com/vJ8RCi179S

— 中国文字狱事件盘点 (@SpeechFreedomCN) November 20, 2022

The rare public demonstration reminded people of the Tank Man who stood in front of a tank during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests when thousands of students took to the streets of Beijing to rally against the government.

“If Mr. Peng Lifa could display a banner in such a dangerous location as Beijing to protest against Xi Jinping’s ascension to the throne, I couldn’t justify doing or saying nothing when Xi Jinping came here, given that I am in Thailand,” Li told RFA.

Li held a placard reading, “His Majesty President Xi, put an end to dictatorship in China! Give the people back their freedom!” while the Chinese president was attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok.

According to RFA, Li was arrested on suspicion of “illegal immigration” because he was unable to produce a passport.

Last month, in an unprecedented move, Xi became the CCP chief for a third term.

With inputs from agencies

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