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Video of a man first appeared on social media on November 14. In it, the man can be seen cycling down a street while twirling a spear over his head and brandishing it sideways, narrowly missing passing road users. Photo: qq.com

Chinese police say cyclist who endangered road users with spear-wielding antics needs medical help

  • Zhao Yun obsessive arrested after bike stunt that went viral on video
  • Police tell family to step up treatment for man’s mental health condition

A Chinese man obsessed with Zhao Yun, a Chinese general who lived about 1,800 years ago, has been arrested for brandishing a spear while making trips on his bicycle around his hometown in eastern China.

Video of the 20-year-old man first appeared on Chinese social media on November 14. In it, the man can be seen cycling down a busy street while twirling a red-tasselled spear over his head and brandishing it sideways, narrowly missing passing road users.

“It looks like he has been practising hard. Why not send him to a martial arts school instead?” a Weibo user asked.

Police in Zhenjiang city, eastern Jiangsu province, were not amused and arrested the man, surnamed Bai, on Sunday citing public safety fears, the force’s Weibo newsfeed said. The weapon was confiscated.

According to a police report, Bai bought the spear online because he was obsessed with Zhao Yun, a general who lived during the Three Kingdoms period, whose preferred weapon was a spear.

Family members told the police that Bai was taking medication for an unspecified mental illness. Police ordered Bai’s relatives to seek other treatment for him.

Weapons such as swords and spears are easily available on e-commerce sites such as Taobao or JD.com, with spears like the one Bai had selling for as little as 20 yuan (US$2), mostly marketed towards martial arts practitioners.

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