Mei Shilin, a young man from Chengdu, Sichuan, disappeared mid-month after hanging a banner calling for political reform on an overpass in the city. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that police are investigating whether Mei Shilin has overseas connections and have taken him into criminal detention. Lawyers believe authorities may charge him with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" to de-escalate the case's political sensitivity.
In the early morning hours of April 15th, three long banners suddenly draped over the overpass outside Chengdu's Chadianzi Bus Station read: "Without political reform, there can be no national rejuvenation," "The people do not need an unfettered party," and "China does not need anyone to dictate its direction; democracy is the true direction." These blunt statements, striking under the night lights, quickly attracted the attention of the authorities. The young men who hung the banners were soon taken into police custody and have since disappeared.
Insider: Authorities are investigating whether he has a foreign background
Mr. Qin from Chengdu (who requested anonymity for security reasons) revealed to our station on Monday (the 28th) that the person who hung the banner was 27-year-old Mei Shilin. He said the authorities are extremely nervous about the incident: "Authorities are investigating whether he has foreign connections. If so, they will hand him over to the National Security Bureau and transfer him to the Municipal National Security Bureau Detention Center. If no concrete evidence of collusion with foreign forces is found, the Chengdu police will handle the case. For the past two weeks, the National Security Bureau and traffic police throughout Chengdu have been on high alert, fearing another incident would happen, which would put the Public Security Bureau Chief out of his job."
Another Chengdu insider, Mr. Yang, also confirmed to our station that Mei Shilin has been criminally detained by police. He added that Mei Shilin is from Yongfu Town, Muchuan County, Sichuan Province, and worked at a Chengdu technology company before the incident. He said: "The young man who hung the political reform banner, Mei Shilin, is from Yongfu Town, Muchuan County, Sichuan Province. He previously worked at a Chengdu technology company. He was treated unfairly in a labor dispute and was ignored when he complained to government departments for help. Such incidents are actually common."
According to the Human Rights Defense Network, Mei Shilin was born in January 1998 and previously worked for Shenzhen Broad Vision Zhiyuan Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. His actions were seen by the outside world as emulating the protests of Peng Lifa at the Sitong Bridge in Beijing in 2022. The latter was arrested for hanging a banner opposing the CCP's authoritarianism on the bridge and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Mei Shilin had told a few contacts in advance: "I have been preparing this slogan for a year and hope to help spread it." He said that he had a detailed plan and expressed his determination to make sacrifices for his ideals.
Insider: Authorities are investigating whether he has a foreign background
Mr. Qin from Chengdu (who requested anonymity for security reasons) revealed to our station on Monday (the 28th) that the person who hung the banner was 27-year-old Mei Shilin. He said the authorities are extremely nervous about the incident: "Authorities are investigating whether he has foreign connections. If so, they will hand him over to the National Security Bureau and transfer him to the Municipal National Security Bureau Detention Center. If no concrete evidence of collusion with foreign forces is found, the Chengdu police will handle the case. For the past two weeks, the National Security Bureau and traffic police throughout Chengdu have been on high alert, fearing another incident would happen, which would put the Public Security Bureau Chief out of his job."
Another Chengdu insider, Mr. Yang, also confirmed to our station that Mei Shilin has been criminally detained by police. He added that Mei Shilin is from Yongfu Town, Muchuan County, Sichuan Province, and worked at a Chengdu technology company before the incident. He said: "The young man who hung the political reform banner, Mei Shilin, is from Yongfu Town, Muchuan County, Sichuan Province. He previously worked at a Chengdu technology company. He was treated unfairly in a labor dispute and was ignored when he complained to government departments for help. Such incidents are actually common."
According to the Human Rights Defense Network, Mei Shilin was born in January 1998 and previously worked for Shenzhen Broad Vision Zhiyuan Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. His actions were seen by the outside world as emulating the protests of Peng Lifa at the Sitong Bridge in Beijing in 2022. The latter was arrested for hanging a banner opposing the CCP's authoritarianism on the bridge and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Mei Shilin had told a few contacts in advance: "I have been preparing this slogan for a year and hope to help spread it." He said that he had a detailed plan and expressed his determination to make sacrifices for his ideals.
