Students involved in the Chengdu subway incident were detained by school disciplinary committee for investigation.
Sichuan University has recently been embroiled in controversy, and reactions on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, have been both fervent and varied. The university and Xinhua News Agency have both reported that a master's student named Zhang at the institution had posted an inappropriate video of another individual, along with improper remarks, which created a substantial negative impact on society.
21 June 2023
Following the incident on June 7, 2023, the university promptly reached out to local law enforcement and communicated with the parties involved. Upon investigation, it was confirmed that the student had violated the university's conduct regulations. The nature of the video and the specific transgressions have not been detailed publicly.
Weibo netizens have been actively discussing this incident, airing grievances, speculation, and even sardonic humor. Some netizens have accused the university of not addressing other allegations against the student, such as plagiarism and misusing her position as student council president. The Changjiang Daily echoed these sentiments, questioning whether these allegations had been found baseless or whether the university was resistant to acknowledge whistleblower reports of misconduct by a party member.
Prominent Weibo commentator, Sima Nan, expressed his thoughts on the incident and the possible influence of the student's status and background. He speculated whether the student's position, party membership, and popularity might have impacted the reaction to her misconduct.
User "理记," on the other hand, argued that the university's response was proportionate, suggesting that no severe consequences had occurred, and the aggrieved party had apparently forgiven the student. This viewpoint was echoed by Zhang Yiwu, who felt that the public may desire a stronger response, but the actual measures taken by the university were still substantial.
However, not everyone agreed with this view. User "孟雨2008" composed a satirical poem questioning if the university will continue to protect the student, reflecting a general sense of skepticism about the university's handling of the situation.
A portion of the online community also raised questions about the consequences for the student's party membership, suggesting that the actions didn't uphold the principle of serving the people. User "独乐携众乐" was particularly vocal about this, questioning the credibility of party membership given the severity of the offense.
Some users pointed out the need to understand the disciplinary measures within the party context, with user "五月的小太阳Tina" mentioning that the punishments are much more severe for party members, hinting that the actions taken against the student might be more serious than it appears.
However, some comments also revealed a hint of defensiveness and frustration with the widespread condemnation. Nikolalee criticized the backlash against the student, suggesting an overreaction and calling out the overly generalized negative perceptions of men being circulated online.
All these reactions indicate a potent mix of emotions among the public in response to this incident at Sichuan University. The complex issue not only reveals the societal expectations for higher educational institutions and their students but also points to broader debates about power dynamics, privilege, and party membership. As the situation continues to evolve, further updates and reactions from the Weibo community will likely continue to shed light on this intriguing narrative.
