Pro-Democracy Banners Unfurled in Chengdu Echo ‘Bridge Man’ Protest, Says RFA

In a rare display of public dissent, three pro-democracy banners were unfurled from an overpass in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu early Tuesday morning, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported. The banners, reminiscent of those hung by Beijing’s “Bridge Man” Peng Lifa in 2022, quickly gained attention online before being censored on Chinese social media platforms.

The protest appears to have been inspired by Peng’s bold act on Beijing’s Sitong Bridge in October 2022, which sparked the White Paper movement—mass demonstrations where protesters held up blank sheets of paper to symbolize silenced voices during the government’s strict COVID-19 lockdowns and growing authoritarianism.

According to RFA, the Chengdu banners were first shared with the X account @whyyoutouzhele, also known as “Mr. Li is not your teacher,” a citizen journalism platform operated by artist and activist Li Ying. The contributor who submitted the images claimed he had been preparing the protest for over a year, hoping the account, which has over 1.9 million followers, would help spread his message.

The slogans on the banners expressed dissatisfaction with China’s political system and called for reform and democracy. The display was confirmed to have taken place near the Chadianzi Third Ring Road Interchange in Jinniu District, close to the Chadianzi Bus Station. Although no street protests followed, the online circulation of the images sparked widespread attention before being swiftly removed from platforms like WeChat.

Later on Tuesday, the account reported that the contributor had been unreachable for over 13 hours. His last message expressed a hope that democracy could be achieved in China.

When RFA contacted the Chadianzi Police Station and the Jinniu District Public Security Bureau for confirmation, a police officer stated that the overpass where the banners were displayed did not fall under their jurisdiction.

Commenting on the incident, former Chinese police officer and now U.S.-based political activist Guo Min said the protest reflects an ongoing, though often muted, public desire for democratic change. She noted that despite decades of Communist Party rule, voices calling for reform and transparency continue to emerge. A local activist in Chengdu, identifying himself only as Zhao for safety reasons, described the protest as a clear and desperate expression of dissatisfaction with the current system.