Our reporter was "controlled" by several security guards.
□ Chief Reporter Zhang Zhili, Text; Henan Legal System Daily Reporter Wenshunju, Photo
Our newspaper reports from Anyang: Yesterday, due to a dispute over construction payments, three construction foremen climbed onto the roof of Building A-1 of the dormitory at the College of Humanities and Management of Anyang Normal University intending to commit suicide. After our reporters arrived at the university, they were surrounded and obstructed by the college's security guards.
At 1:15 PM yesterday, the reporter drove to the gate of the College of Humanities and Management of Anyang Normal University and showed their press card to the security guards, indicating the intention to conduct an interview inside the campus. The security guards violently pounded on the car hood and cursed at the reporter, demanding that the car be driven away quickly to avoid conflict. To prevent escalation, the reporter temporarily retreated the car outside the gate.
About 15 minutes later, the families of the three foremen arrived at the gate, requesting entry to persuade their relatives to abandon their suicidal intentions, but were all refused by the security guards. As more people gathered at the entrance, some individuals became emotionally agitated. At this point, the security guards agreed to let the family members in, but citing concerns about the H1N1 flu pandemic, they alone refused to allow the reporter entry. Subsequently, seven or eight security guards surrounded the reporter, shoving and pulling them. Three security guards tightly held the reporter’s arms, rendering them immobile. This situation was captured by photography journalist Wenshunju of the Henan Legal System Daily who had just arrived on the scene.
More shockingly, upon seeing Ms. Wen, several security guards immediately attempted to seize her camera and grabbed her wrist in an attempt to "control" her. As a female, Ms. Wen loudly rebuked the security guards while squatting down with her arms crossed. With the help of several workers' families, she managed to escape from the guards’ encirclement.
When the onlookers questioned the security guards why the reporter was “controlled,” the guards, despite having already seen the press credentials, claimed that the reporter did not show any identification. In front of the crowd, our reporter demanded that the guards re-examine the credentials. A person named "Liu An" abruptly snatched the press card and tried to leave. The reporter quickly appealed to the crowd to stop him from taking the credentials away. Despite this, the individual refused to return the card and instead ordered the security guards to "escort" the reporter to the guardhouse, claiming that the reporter had not registered or had their temperature taken.
Subsequently, following their so-called "rules," the reporter completed the registration individually and was then forcibly subjected to a temperature check. Only after retrieving the press card was the reporter allowed to enter the campus. By this time, it was already 2:04 PM.
On the rooftop of Building A-1, one of the three men was straddling the edge facing east, another man was straddling the edge facing west, both with one leg dangling in the air. Another man stood near the westernmost wall edge. Due to strong winds that day, everyone below was extremely anxious for their safety. Several firefighters on the ground had already inflated rescue air cushions, and the police had set up warning lines around the cushions.
According to the leaders of the relevant departments in charge of rescue operations in Anyang, the three men on the roof were all construction foremen contracted for work on the college campus. They intended to take extreme measures due to disputes over construction payments with the college.
Yesterday afternoon, after learning about the incident where the reporter was attacked, the leadership of the College of Humanities and Management of Anyang Normal University expressed serious handling of the matter. Secretary Feng of the college's party committee instructed the relevant department leaders to investigate the personnel directly responsible for assaulting the reporter and to implement dismissal as punishment.
At 10:20 PM last night, under the tearful pleas of their families, the three foremen finally agreed to come down. Subsequently, the firefighters rescued the three men. However, the dispute between the three foremen and the college regarding the construction payments remains unresolved.