Who is China's 'Bridge Man' inspiring anti-Xi Jinping protests across the globe?

A rare one-man protest against Xi Jinping, President of China, has inspired solidarity protests around world. events unfolded last Thursday, October 13, after a man strung banners across a bridge in Beijing accusing Xi Jinping of being a dictator. man was subsequently detained but photos of his action have been spre around world as China's party Congress is set to meet this week.

Now being touted as "Bridge Man", unidentified male has been subject of extensive online investigations into his identity, reported BBC. Moreover, mystery protester is also being compared to famous "Tank Man", unknown Chinese individual who stood in front of a line of tanks during Tiananmen protests that ultimately turned into a massacre after Chinese regime ordered military to open fire on peaceful protesters that h gared at Tiananmen Square. protesters were fired upon by Chinese tanks and soldiers carrying assault rifles.

Activists concerned for Bridge man’s safety

Internet sleuths have identified mysterious lone protester as a researcher and physicist hailing from a village in norrn province of Heilongjiang. y furr tracked down his social media profiles which are said to include two Twitter accounts, reported BBC.

However, previous posts from one of accounts were cleared on weekend, and a new tweet was posted. It was a line from Sun Yat-sen's will. Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese revolutionary who dedicated his life to seeking freedom and equality in China.  

Activists across globe have praised Bridge Man for protesting against ‘Chinese dictator’ Xi Jinping while some have expressed fears for welfare of unidentified demonstrator.

events unfolded after individual disguised himself as a roside worker on October 13, yelled slogans into a loudspeaker and set tires on fire on China’s Sitong bridge in Haidian district of Beijing, reported BBC. Videos from scene showed man being apprehended by police officers and taken into a car.

Implications of “Bridge man’s” protests

protest by unidentified man was apparently against China’s rigid zero-COVID policy. According to BBC, individual h posted an apparent manifesto on ResearchGate, a popular research site. However, it was later taken down, reported BBC.

Since development, signs and messages similar to “Bridge Man’s” protests have appeared on several university campuses in UK, US, Europe, Australia and elsewhere.

"We, people of China, want to spre this message that speaks our mind in places without censorship,” stated one handwritten sign at Colby College in US state of Maine while praising Beijing man's action, stated BBC.

On social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, several activism accounts from China have urged followers to heed Beijing protester's rallying cry "to strike" and take action during week of Communist Party congress.

Meanwhile, after-effects of protest by lone man sparked a swift crackdown online, with all footage, pictures and keywords such as “Beijing protester", "Haidian", " and "Sitong bridge" scrubbed from social media platforms in China. Moreover, security in Beijing has been heightened in days following protest, with extra police and personnel stationed at bridges across city.