Police dispatched to head off vigilantes after child abuse video uploaded to social media
Around 50 police officers were dispatched to a township in Yunlin County last night after social media users threatened to hunt down a man who was seen violently kicking a small girl outside a residential community.
A video was uploaded to Facebook showing a couple with two small children on a street outside a building in Xiluo Township, when the man suddenly hit and kicked the girl, who appears around 5 years old. The couple and children then left in a car.
The video, which was shot at around 7:00pm, August 3, shows the man kicking the girl hard 3 to 4 times, knocking her to the ground.
Angry Facebook users immediately called for justice, and several dozen people, according to reports, headed to Xiluo Township to search for the perpetrator. Among the vigilante mob was self-styled “Justice Brother,” Hsu Yi (徐奕), who broadcast live to Facebook, reaching 130,000 viewers. The three-hour broadcast saw Hsu visiting the hospital attempting to find out about the girl’s health status.
Police headed to the area to direct traffic, prevent violence, and to persuade potential vigilantes to leave. A police captain attempted to persuade Mr Hsu to stop his live broadcast, arguing that he was causing more people to gather, and that he should let police handle the incident.
According to SETN, the Yunlin Social Affairs Office has identified the family, and has applied for a temporary protection order for the girl. The father was found to have no record of domestic violence for the past 2 years, and a medical examination found that the girl had no obvious physical injury.
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Sources: United Daily News, SETN, Liberty Times Network.
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