Official apologises after photograph shows 'armed' policeman holding his umbrella
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 18 September, 2014, 11:32am
UPDATED : Thursday, 18 September, 2014, 2:45pm
James Griffiths [email protected]
Picture showing Henan official Wu Zhenfu being sheltered from the rain by a police officer's umbrella attracted much criticism online. Photo: SCMP Pictures
A Chinese official has apologised after a photo went viral of him speaking to protesters while being shielded from the rain by an armed policeman - holding an umbrella in one hand and what appeared to be a gun in the other.
According to The Beijing News, Wu Zhenfu, deputy chief of Huojia county in Henan province, was snapped talking to protesters last Thursday as a police officer held an umbrella over his head and a gun by his side.
As the photo was widely circulated online, many criticised the official both for having the police officer protect him from the rain, and for the implicit threat of the cop's drawn weapon to protesters.
"There were many people at the scene. I had to focus on explaining to them and I failed to be aware that a police officer was holding an umbrella for me," Wu said in a statement posted on the local government's website this week. "I was wrong. It has caused negative social influences. I apologise to my people and netizens as well."
An official with the county magistrate told the newspaper that the "gun" was in fact a walkie-talkie.
A three-day protest over a chemical plant began in Huojia on September 9, with locals gathering in front of the country government to complain about a rotten-egg smell, suggesting highly toxic hydrogen sulfide, coming from a methanol plant owned by Zhongxin Chemical Industry Company.
The government had ordered the plant to rectify the problem, but production did not stop until September 11.
Umbrellas have become a surprisingly politicised issue in recent years. In December 2012, then-president Hu Jintao received much praise online when he was photographed carrying his own umbrella as he visited his hometown and spoke to residents.
The issue has received attention overseas as well. Last year, US president Barack Obama was accused by Republicans of "abusing his power" when he asked US Marines to hold umbrellas over himself and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a rain-soaked press conference at the White House.
President Barack Obama looks to see if it is still raining as a Marine holds an umbrella for him during a news conference in May 2013. Photo: AP
