In the CCTV video that made international headlines, a group of men were caught on camera violently beating four women at a barbecue restaurant in Tangshan on June 10. A woman can be seen being dragged by her hair, hit with bottles and repeatedly kicked in the head. The incident sparked nationwide outrage and ignited a debate about violence against women in China, with many demanding harsh punishments for the perpetrators and accountability from the police who failed to respond in time. On Monday, authorities at the Hebei Provincial Commission for Disciplinary Inspection said in a statement that 28 people had been prosecuted. The accused has allegedly been committing crimes since 2012, including robbery, operating illegal casinos, willful injury and unlawful detention of others. More from NextShark: Sports bar owner reportedly receiving death threats after Filipino-American teen attacked outside SF The statement did not specify the charges related to the attack at the barbecue restaurant in June. Authorities also noted that rumors of sexual assault or other forms of violence related to the attack were “false information.” In a separate probe, authorities said they were investigating 15 officials for corruption involving “bad organizations” linked to the perpetrators. Eight public officials, including the head of a regional police station in Tangshan, were arrested on suspicion of accepting bribes and offering protection to the accused. Two of the women who were attacked had previously been sent to a hospital, where they remained until July 1, while the other two victims suffered minor injuries, authorities said. More from NextShark: Cambodian-American woman shocked after brutal supermarket robbery in California One of the victims, whose identity was withheld, appeared in an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, recounting the events of the night of the savage beating. The story continues “We were beaten by several men. After the beating, we were told not to call the police or ask anyone for help or they would kill us. They then fled,” he was quoted as saying. Despite widespread censorship, the debate about gender-based violence and concerns about women’s safety in mainland China has come into the public spotlight. More from NextShark: Korean teenager kicked in the face in Netherlands because attacker thought he was Chinese In July, a video of a man ambushing his ex-wife and daughter in Laiyang, China also went viral. Another video of a man dragging a woman onto a bar toilet seat shocked citizens. In early August, a man was caught on camera repeatedly running over his girlfriend with his car in broad daylight. Netizens continue to call for more action on gender equality and tougher laws and punishments for perpetrators. More from NextShark: Popular South Korean influencer who has garnered over 100 endorsements isn’t actually a real person Featured image via Reuters
