Police in Beijing kicked and punched women who attended a gay rights rally in the Chinese capital. According to The Times police tried to break up the protest which attracted around 1000 people.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, a ‘hugging event’ had been organised at the 798 Art District, a public square in the north-west part of Beijing. The events aim was to encourage families to embrace their LGBTIQ+ children when they came out.

Police arrived at the event and tried to disperse the crowd, organisers had been handing out rainbow pins to attendees, police declared people wearing the pin were not allowed within the square, a scuffle broke out and police were filmed kicking and punching two women.

Homosexuality is not illegal in China, but gay content is often censored on television and police are wary of any public protests.

The Beijing LGBT Centre has condemned the police’s actions and called on people to wear their rainbow pins for a month as a continued form of protest.

“We are hoping the rainbow flag will fly over a land that is more diverse and more inclusive,” the centre said.

OIP Staff