Fourth anniversary of the act of defiance by Peng Lifa (online name Peng Zaizhou), pioneer of the “White Paper Movement” and “Sitong Bridge warrior”

On October 13, 2026, our outlet learned that today marks the fourth anniversary of the act of defiance by Peng Lifa (online name Peng Zaizhou), pioneer of the “White Paper Movement” and “Sitong Bridge warrior.”

Four years ago today (October 13, 2022), Peng Lifa (Peng Zaizhou) hung two protest banners on Sitong Bridge in Beijing and broadcast through a loudspeaker: “No PCR tests—we want food; no Cultural Revolution—we want reform; no lockdowns—we want freedom; no leaders—we want ballots; no lies—we want dignity; don’t be slaves, be citizens; boycott classes, strike from work, remove the dictatorial national traitor Xi Jinping.” At the scene on Sitong Bridge, Peng Lifa was taken away by police and has been missing ever since.

Peng Lifa’s act of defiance shocked the world and also inspired the courage of people in mainland China to resist Xi Jinping’s frenzied zero-COVID lockdowns. The “White Paper Movement” that subsequently erupted in cities across China directly brought an end to the Chinese Communist Party’s “zero-COVID” tyranny.

After Peng Lifa was arrested that day, his whereabouts remained unknown. According to the X account “Yesterday” (@YesterdayBigcat), in July 2025 Peng Lifa was sentenced by a Chinese court to nine years in prison on charges including “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “arson”; the report has not yet been independently verified. The Chinese authorities should publicly disclose where he is being held and details of his case, ensure that he can contact his family, and allow him to receive legal assistance from a lawyer of his own choosing.

Peng Lifa’s biography: Online name Peng Zaizhou; born January 7, 1974; from Group 737, Qinjian Village, Ningjiang Mongolian Ethnic Township, Tailai County, Heilongjiang Province; long-term resident of Xicheng District, Beijing; employee of Beijing Tian Gua Network Technology Co., Ltd.; Beijing Sitong Bridge warrior who called for Xi’s downfall; democracy and human rights activist; political prisoner in custody in China.

On October 13, 2022, as the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress was about to convene, he courageously hung two red-letter banners on Sitong Bridge in Zhongguancun, Beijing. One read, “No PCR tests—we want food! No lockdowns—we want freedom! No lies—we want dignity! No Cultural Revolution—we want reform! No leaders—we want ballots! Don’t be slaves, be citizens!” The other read, “Boycott classes, strike from work, remove the dictatorial national traitor Xi Jinping.” He also set off fireworks to attract attention, prompting passersby to stop, pull over, and take photos and videos on their phones;

Passersby later posted the videos and photos on social media platforms, where netizens immediately shared them widely. The incident shocked the world that same day and was subsequently widely reported by major international media outlets;

As a result of his bold display of banners calling for Xi’s downfall, and because beforehand he had planned, purposefully and selectively, to send a prepared “Letter to Compatriots Across the Nation” to some websites and well-known dissidents, directly accusing Xi Jinping of taking Yuan Shikai and Kim Jong Un as his mentors and of “dreaming of being an emperor who wears a suit instead of a yellow robe,” and calling on soldiers and police nationwide to “be brave like Cai E, Li Liejun, and Tang Jiyao; do not help a tyrant do evil, do not serve a dictator, and do not become cannon fodder for a dictator,” he was quickly taken away that day by police from Beijing’s Xicheng District and has been missing ever since;

People in China and overseas subsequently widely regarded the incident as the first banner slogan to appear on the streets of Beijing directly challenging the Chinese Communist Party’s rule since the 1989 June Fourth incident. The street protest was especially shocking because it took place shortly before the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress, when security had been conspicuously tightened and vigilance heightened;

The incident had a major impact and sparked a movement to oust Xi among people in mainland China, Chinese communities around the world, and international students. But since his arrest, there has been no information at all about his specific circumstances, such as the charges against him, whether he was tortured to extract a confession, whether he was physically tortured, or whether he remains in good health.

According to the X account “Yesterday” (@YesterdayBigcat), in July 2025 Peng Lifa was sentenced by a Chinese court to nine years in prison on charges including “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” and “arson.” His current place of detention is unknown.

Our outlet will continue to follow Mr. Peng Lifa’s situation.