Police in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou arrested about 50 men on Mar 30 and 60 men on Apr 3 when it raided Renmin Gongyuan (People's Park/广州人民公园), a well known gay cruising venue.
Guangzhou's Renmin Gongyuan (People's Park/广州人民公园). Photo from blog.boy007.com
Chung To, the founder and chairperson of Hong Kong-based Chi Heng Foundation, a HIV/AIDS NGO which operates in China said in an email that five members of its MSM outreach team who were conducting its regular HIV prevention outreach in the park were taken to the police station on Mar 30; and another six volunteers were detained and interrogated on Apr 3.
"Taking them to the police station without any reason is unjustified. We are disappointed that this kind of police action still happens in China which hurts our HIV prevention outreach work," To said in the email.
No other details of the arrests and how long the men were detained are available.
In the Apr 4 statement, the Aizhixing Institute - a China-based HIV advocacy and awareness group founded by Dr Wan Yan Hai, a prominent AIDS activist, in 1994 - urged the police department to respect the civil rights of homosexuals in Guangzhou.
The statement read in part:
"We believe that the police have clear shown an act of discrimination and harassment towards the gay community during these raids and arrests, which should be condemned. We urge the police to stop such harassment immediately and educate police-officers with basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention policies and civil rights concerning LGBT community to avoid misuse of power and human rights violation in their conduct.
"The police are deemed to have violated The Regulation on the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS, which was adopted at the 122nd executive meeting of the State Council on Jan 18, 2006 which came into force on Mar 1, 2006."
Related links (in Chinese) about the Guangzhou Renmin Gongyuan:
同性戀男子頻繁更換性伴侶患艾滋 (chinanews.sina.com):
A gay man recounts his experiences of Guangzhou's Renmin Gongyuan in the 1950s where men cruised each other for hookups and dates.
烈日下的广州人民公园同志角 (blog.boy007.com):
Pictures of the park taken by a gay man on a hot summer day last year and the activities that goes on in the crowded public toilet, the park's most popular cruising spot. The blogger estimates about 100 to 200 people during his visit on that weekend afternoon.
(广东同志)广州警方一周内两次带走同性恋者盘问 (Guangzhou Tongzhi):
The Guangzhou Tongzhi (a gay web site) recounted an exchange between a police officer and a Chi Heng volunteer after the officer admitted that they were acting on complaints about men having sex in the toilet to which the volunteer responded saying that the police need only to arrest those who have sex in public, and not everyone else. The policeman then suggested that the gay men should move to somewhere more private to have sex, such as Baiyun Hill and under the Haiyin Bridge. The volunteer then retorted that gays should have the right to chat and make friends anywhere they wish.
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Reader's Comments
And if there is no evidence of any offence, isn't there some remedy against the police?
Prostitution is NOT illegal in most countires. China is not the world. Prostitution, in fact, is regulated in the West, whereas in most Asian countries, it is a subject better not talked about, as so many other tabboo subjects. Think twice.
The main point is that the police raided that place base on a discriminatory agenda against gay. ONLY AFTER being pressured, they gave a reason for the raid to justify they discriminatory act against homosexuality. If they were really serious about cracking prostitution, why not raiding those "salons" on the street? It's public knowledge that those salons are the biggest chain of brothels in GZ.
PLU tend to be the centre of controversy and it's a;; more important that we do not expose ourselves to more criticism.
We need to worker even harder to gain people's respect. It's a harsh world out there. People judge and more often than not , we get the bulk of it.
If they find someone having sex in the public toilet, they should just tell the miscreants to leave and have their fun in a private place. But it's not just China. In this year of 2009, the police in New York City still find ways and excuses to harrass gays.
1. drug addicts who may be commercial sex workers/sellers.
2. Just some weird people.
3. Risky place.
4. Risk of police arrest or questioning.
So if you go to those parks, these are the risks so be careful.
I have been to those types of places several times but never in to the very dark park areas, it is risky so if you are in those places, it is "risk behavior" so don't be surprised.
This is true in nearly every country in the world not just China.
One can only speculate what brings such a low form of human life to this respectable forum.
This transcends issues of freedom of speech.
Advocating ethnic cleansing (genocide) suggests that this person may be very dangerous, and authorities should be informed.
Also, using despicable racial slurs should not be tolerated here.
We all know that such vile people as poster number 22 exist in the world, but they need not be endured here.
Congrats on your new life in Canada and your wedding photo, I presume, is wonderful. God blessed and have a great life together. Peace!;)
Sex parks exist in all major cities. For many right reasons, people st8 or gay should not engage in sex publicly. There are places for that activity. But the main issue here is that the police has no right to target anyone being in the park for simple conversation or harmless socializing. It's harassment, pure and simple. But then again, most non first world (that includes Singapore too) practice such crimes against gay people without any fear or recourse for their victims simply just becos they can.
You are simply thinking too highly of yourself. Don't forget that drugs was the reason why Hong Kong was ceded the the British in the 1st place.
Seriously, I cannot think of anyone who habour such hatred of Singapore except these who were caught with drugs and deported from Singapore.
Anyone on earth of Chinese origin shall be sentanced to execution by firing squad! They are morally sordid and their blood is ethnically dirty! Kill all Chinese ar`seholes!!!
Post #25 whiteaussie says (Posted : 11 April 2009 13:55) :
Chin`ks are so freaking dirty! Kill all mother`f`ucking Chinese ba`stards!!!
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Welcome repressed self professed homophopic whiteaussie to Fridae. You must be another self created illegitimate child of gymhotbod & twin sister BrownHard through Ejaculate Conception (seems u just joined Fridae on 10April09-how convenient). Can tell all these bravodo & vicious hate and deluded self egos run & consume this family of tarts.
PS: Now we can see the true extremist racist nature of losers like gymwhorebod & twin BrownHard.
My my, wiping out all the chinese ? Where would u get your next tainted fake chinese milk powder from to feed all your illegitimate profiles? Tsk tsk. Dunno how to think. Sad.
You are the main problem. By the way, have you gone for your blood test yet you hypocrit ??
11 Apr 2009 17:25
To: jammyboi
From:whiteaussie
Message:
You goddamn dirty Chink! You indeed son of a fucking gross fudge packer and this well explains why the hell you're a papafucking faggot you better thank your queer daddy for the homoarsehole genetic code that was passed on to you ARSEHOLE!!!
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Too bad mama bear (gymwhorebod) had to use baby bear(whiteaussie) to disguise. Lamezzz
Bye ladies.
tartjamboi , anything else we didn't know which you would like to spew out from your other orific LOL.
Let us know in advance so that we can stay clear LOL :))) This is really funny
Tingatanga hello! So its OK for you to wear German leather pants while role playing followed by gay sex (yes I read your profile), is that not also illegal, or is it just OK for you as you have somewhere to go and someone to do it with?
White Aussie these Chinese gay boys are not Motherf***ers they are obviously Fatherf****s. Learn to think if you even exist. Maybe you are White Austrian as you sound like a nazi fascist.
OK who is next?
Il lutte le cul plus pour CHIER, quel "conne"!!!
Are the Guangdong police having too much free time on their hands, or are they taking a leaf out of the Singapore Police as part of the nationwide emulation campaign of the 'Singapore Success Story' circa 1980s?
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