A woman named Dong Yaoqiong has gone missing. Media outlet Voice of America was told by the Shanghai Security Bureau that they knew nothing of the woman, while a Twitter user named “Communication Centre of Appealing” said that “Miss Dong was taken to Beijing by the officers from Domestic Security Department (DSD) and has been questioned for three days.”
But what people do know is that Dong did something that likely upset the Chinese government. In an act of protest and defiance, Dong splashed ink on an image of President Xi Jinping on the streets of Shanghai near a Hainnan Airlines office and live-streamed it, according to Yahoo News . And to make sure that everyone knew why she was dousing the president’s image with black ink, Dong made the following proclamations against what she called the government’s “mind control persecution.”
“Oppose Xi Jinping authoritarian tyranny!… I oppose Xi Jinping and his authoritarian dictatorship… Let’s see how he’s gonna deal with me.”
The live-stream took place on July 4. Later the same day, Dong posted a photo on Twitter of what looked like police officers through her apartment’s peephole. She added that “Right now there are a group of people wearing uniforms outside my door. I’ll go out after I change my clothes… I did not commit a crime. The people and groups that hurt me are the ones who are guilty.”
A brave girl after throwing ink on Xi Jin ping’s portrait in Shanghai yesterday, now has gone missing. pic.twitter.com/B8fWks25cA
— GuoJianArt (@guo_art) July 5, 2018
Since the incident, Dong’s Twitter account has been deleted. Nobody really knows where she is. Chinese artist Hua Yong spoke out on Twitter in regard to the woman’s disappearance, reported ABC News .
“This live video has been circulating in the country, I would like to know her name, ask Shanghai friends to inquire more about her current situation, please everyone attention, do not let her disappear silently, defend the Constitution, free speech!”
Other images of Xi Jinping with ink splashes on his face has also started circulating on social media in support of Dong.
“????”??????????????????????????????????????????????????“??”?????——??????“??”????? pic.twitter.com/XZFPGhNjNV
— ????RebelPepper (@remonwangxt) July 5, 2018
Prior to her arrest, Dong said that people have “the right to be free from fear,” and said that she’s been “pursued” by the government. The woman’s supposed address and phone number were posted online, but nobody is answering the phone.
A similar protest took place in 1989, when three protesters splashed eggs with ink inside on a painting of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square. The three were sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison for the act.