Chinese expo shuts ‘stress relief’ booth that let visitors strike effigy of US President Donald Trump with mallet
- Japanese company Soliton Systems encouraged ‘violent disrespect’ of public figure, organisers of three-day technology trade show in Shanghai say
A low-tech attraction at a Shanghai technology fair that allowed visitors to hit a life-size bobble-head likeness of US President Donald Trump with a mallet was shut down because it encouraged “violent disrespect” of a public figure, organisers said on Thursday.
The offending item was set up by Soliton Systems of Japan at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show Asia (CES Asia) as a “stress-relief” station.
Visitors to the three-day trade show were offered the mallet to hit the effigy of Trump, who has angered many in China with an almost year-long, multibillion-dollar tariff war against Beijing.
The US Consumer Technology Association – which organises the annual show – said it warned Soliton about the display on Tuesday. A curtain was drawn across the Soliton stand on Thursday, and the Trump likenesses were gone.
The association said exhibitors were required to sign contracts that said displays must not be “offensive”.