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Police in China said Saturday that nine people had been arrested in connection with a vicious attack on a group of women at a restaurant, sparking outrage over predatory sexual behavior.
Footage of the incident, which has gone viral online, shows a man placing his hand on a woman’s back while she eats with two other people at a barbecue restaurant in northeastern China’s Hebei province.
After she pushes him away, the guy hits her before others drag her outside and attack her as she lies on the floor. Another woman is also thrown to the ground.
The video reignited an internet discussion about sexual harassment and gender-based violence in China, where women’s rights have grown in recent years despite patriarchal society pressure, internet censorship, and patchy legal support.
Domestic violence, according to campaigners, is widespread and underreported, while prominent feminists face regular police bullying and detention.
After a wave of women suspected university professors of sexual harassment in 2018, web censors blocked keywords associated with the #MeToo movement.
Tangshan police said on Saturday that they had arrested eight people on the presumption of violent assault and “causing trouble,” with one more suspect still being sought.
Authorities said Friday that two women treated at the hospital after the incident was “in steady conditions and not in mortal danger,” while two others suffered minor injuries.
In a case that shocked the country last year, a Chinese man was condemned to death for murdering his ex-wife while she was live-streaming on social media.
