Chinese traffic police soften punishment for jaywalking after residents see red over ‘wearing a green hat’

Traffic police in southern China have toned down a punishment for pedestrians jaywalking, making them wear a green hat while helping to supervise the traffic, after residents complained it was too embarrassing, according to a newspaper report.

“Wearing a green hat” is a traditional Chinese expression meaning a man’s wife is cheating on him.

Shenzhen traffic police introduced the punishment last week and it prompted a huge debate on social media, with many arguing it was right to punish jaywalkers but the choice of a green hat was wrong.

“It is praiseworthy for law enforcers to punish traffic offenders severely, but forcing them to wear green hats crosses the moral line and is definitely not appropriate,” the state-run news agency Xinhua quoted social commentator Guo Yuanpeng as saying.

Shenzhen police carried out a survey among more than 22,000 people and over 51 per cent said the hat colour needed to be changed, the Southern Metropolis News reported.

Offenders will now be allowed to wear a white, red, blue, yellow, purple or camouflage cap, plus green, the newspaper said.