Deadly Moscow shooting leaves China’s internet divided on need for tighter security measures as country seeks to open up

Name: Chinese student shares first-hand account of Moscow concert hall attack
Uploaded: 2024-03-25T16:00:12.000Z
Duration: 3 min 33 s
Description: Chinese student shares first-hand account of Moscow concert hall attack

Shocked Chinese net users express condolences to the victims, while some call for China to further tighten security measures

But calls spark online debate over whether extreme security measures might hurt the post-Covid economy or boost investor confidence

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People gather at a makeshift memorial to the victims of Friday’s attack, outside the Crocus City Hall in Moscow. Photo: Reuters

Vanessa Caiin Shanghai

Published: 12:00am, 26 Mar 2024Updated: 12:33am, 26 Mar 2024

The deadly shooting at a Moscow concert hall over the weekend has triggered a public debate in China over how the country can balance security measures with the need to open up after years of pandemic restrictions.

At least 137 people were killed when four gunmen opened fire at the Crocus City Hall on Friday evening – the deadliest such attack faced by Russia for two decades.

Terrorist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, and since released what it says is footage from the carnage.

Shocked Chinese net users expressed their condolences to the victims online, while some called for a further tightening of security measures within China – already one of the world’s most heavily policed countries in the world.

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Chinese student shares first-hand account of Moscow concert hall attack

Security checks are mandatory for many high-profile occasions in the country, especially in the capital Beijing.