Cyclist who killed machete-wielding BMW driver triggers heated debate in China over right to self-defence
Man who killed his attacker – a former criminal – after wrestling a machete from him stirs discussion about whether his actions were justified
A confrontation between a cyclist and a BMW driver who attacked him with a machete has sparked a heated debate in China about where the acceptable limits of self-defence lie after the cyclist fought back and killed the attacker after seizing his weapon.
The cyclist could face a lengthy prison sentence if the courts decide his actions were excessive.
CCTV footage widely circulated on social media shows how the incident on Monday night unfolded after the BMW veered into the bike lane in Kunshan, a city in Jiangsu province, nearly knocking the cyclist off his electric bike.
A man and a woman, both passengers, then got out of the car and began talking to the cyclist, a 41-year-old man identified only by his surname Yu.
But as the pair turned away from Yu to return to the car, the driver – surnamed Liu – got out of his vehicle and attacked the cyclist, despite an attempt by the male passenger to restrain him.
