Shocking is the only word for the news that has Nanjing people talking today. A incident between two kindergarten-aged boys has a led a local man to visit the aggressor to beat to the floor him and his grandfather in their own home.
On 8 November, the young son of a Nanjing man surnamed Lu received an injury to his scalp from another lad in a kindergarten dispute, having been accused of stealing toys.
Lu became infuriated at the news and went to the other party’s home to demand an explanation. In the altercation that followed, Lu hit his son’s classmate across the ear with sufficient force that he fell to the floor.
The boy’s grandfather would not stand for this and immediately stood up in defence of the lad. In the argument that ensued, the grandfather first picks up a plastic stool to throw at Lu’s face.
But then, things take a turn for the worse, as the senior picks up a heavy wooden chair to then raise it above his head and begin another attack. In self defence, Lu responds, pushing the grandfather to the floor. It is said the grandfather now has a broken leg, reports The Paper. At present, Lu has been detained on suspicion of intentional injury.
Video of the encounter captured by the family’s home security camera can be see via this link.
While nothing takes away from the horror of the incident, it’s worth considering where we all stand in terms of the law when it comes to incidents such as this.
Unlike in some countries, in China, hitting a child, or anyone for that matter, is not a crime. The act of hitting, that is. In fact, it’s a relatively common sight out in public and in plain view.
Fu Jian, director of Henan Zejin Law Firm, believes that Lu and the boy’s grandfather bear the responsibility.
Fu says that the conduct of both parties shall be deemed as acts of mutual assault and that both should shall bear corresponding responsibilities. However, while both parties shall likely face administrative penalties, in the eyes of the law, generally, the party who initiates an encounter is liable for the greater fault.
According to the degree of damage [to another person], the act may be deemed as intentional injury. And that is a crime. Going forward, Lu faces possible fixed-term imprisonment of not more than 3 years.
