It is an emotional photo that is causing a stir in China: it shows Chinese hurdlers Lin Yuwei and Wu Yanni embracing each other after their competition at the Asian Games. Yuwei took gold, her opponent – who was later disqualified due to a false start – took second place.
However, according to the BBC, the image caused panic among the Chinese government. Reason for this: The track numbers on the athletes’ legs. Yuwei ran in lane six, Wu in lane four. When they hugged, the numbers next to each other spelled out “64.”
The Tian’anmen massacre is grounds for censorship
The figures are indexed in China and blocked or censored on all social media platforms. Just like the photo. Because: it is a code for June 4, 1989. On that day, the Chinese army violently suppressed the protests of the population in the center of Beijing. Hundreds of people died in the massacre.
Since then, the numbers may no longer be used. The photo of the runners was censored. As the BBC further reports, there are still a few news portals showing the photo.
Sources
- BBC.com: Asian Games: China censors ‘Tiananmen’ image of athletes hugging (October 4)
Source: Watson
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
