The South China Morning Post and Reuters have reported that Beijing police arrested, and in some cases beat, between 20 and 30 blacks in Sanlitun last Friday night in what was an apparent drug crackdown. The Zhongnanhai blog quotes the SCMP report:
Dozens of black tourists and expatriates, including the son of the Grenadian ambassador, were arrested and some badly beaten during an apparently indiscriminate anti-drug operation by Beijing police….
“It was pretty brutal,” Beijing-based magazine editor Alex Reid said.
“I saw a man being beaten by six guys in camouflage. He was covered in blood. The police seemed to be targeting anyone who was black.”
Reuters carried this story, while China Expat included this post. As Zhongnanhai notes, there has been a conspicious lack of drug dealers in Sanlitun – since about May, by my own account. Expect more on this one…
’twas several years ago that Beijing Boyce declared that place to be a dangerous cesslpool … I finally agree. You called it.
This beating incident — plus the mysterious death of a New Zealander the other night in a Tongli Studios bar, direct knowledge of a friend that was beaten unsconscious (previously all the stories I’d heard but one were second- (or third-) hand), and the witnessing of two street brawls over the summer — makes me think the razing of this entire neighborhood would be no big loss to the city (that is, if the The Tree were to find a new location).
Then again I’m a new parent and as I slide into old age I’m getting far less tolerant.
M-Dawg,
Yep, it is a cesspool, but ironically one full of places with decent grub (The Tree, Saddle, Kebab Nation), great Xinjiang music (Cheers), excellent wine tastings every Friday (Sequoia), spots to chill out on a rooftop (Bar Blu, Kokomo) or to people-watch (China Doll), and so on. Unfortunately, it attracts many under-age drinkers and some of the rougher types.
I generally get out of there before the place gets very crowded. Get in my wine tasting, a drink at Cheers, and then grab some food and go…
Cheers, Boyce
The place was much nicer back in 1999, when the markets on the north road seamlessly blended into the bars. The tourists, both real and of the “fight club” definition there of, were not too prevalent.
South street was even better. Great food and chuanr in the street, many an Aardvark Rugby party there.
Wudaokou had solutions and sanlitun had 20/20 and World.
Now as China opens up, the quality of expatriates lowers – both the real kind and the “posted for work” kind – and just like all society, all the mess of western culture followed.
:-(
Mofo’s crashed our party and the best kept secret in the world. :-(
Hi Richard,
Well, as they say, the one constant here is change. I’m not a fan of Sanlitun South in general, but I like some places there: Sequoia Cafe (for the wine tastings), The Tree, Cheers, and so on.
In terms of the dealers, I haven’t been harassed by one for months, but the underage drinkers are another story. Too much inexperience, too much testosterone down there as the night wears on.
Ah, for the good ole days, eh?
Cheers, Boyce