Rough treatment by security of woman passenger in China draws concern, official response sparks outrage
- The woman was manhandled and forcibly removed from the train
- The response from Xian metro caused further outrage, partly because it appeared to be dishonest
The rough removal of a woman from a train in Xian, and a statement from the local metro that seemed to muddle the truth, sparked fury in China on Tuesday.
The viral video from the capital of Shaanxi province in northwest China showed a woman arguing with a security guard. After a moment, the guard lunged at the woman, grabbed her, sharply pulled her off the bench and then dragged her off the train.
During the scuffle, the woman’s clothes were torn, and her personal belongings were scattered all over the ground.
The incident happened on Monday.
After the public expressed concern about the incident, Xian Metro responded by saying the woman had had a conflict with a different person on board. The statement said they had been hurling insults at one another and causing physical disturbances to other passengers.
“When our train safety conductors found out, they mediated but it was ineffective,” the notice said. “To maintain order, security and other passengers removed the passenger from the train after it arrived at Dayanta station.”
“The passenger reacted vehemently and refused to get off the train. In order to maintain security, the staff called the police for assistance,” the notice said. “After the passenger reached her destination, she left on her own.”