2022 Beijing Sitong Bridge protest
On October 13, 2022, a lone protester staged a demonstration on Sitong Bridge in Haidian District, Beijing, just days before the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party. Wearing an orange construction vest and a yellow helmet, the protester hung two banners, lit tires to create black smoke, and used a loudspeaker to call for political change. He denounced Xi Jinping’s leadership, censorship, and the zero-COVID policy, and he urged for elections and basic freedoms. His chants included demands for food, freedom, and the right to vote.
Photos and video of the protest spread widely online. The protester was quickly arrested by security forces. His identity was not officially confirmed, but many reports identified him as Peng Lifa, also known as Bridge Man.
In the days after, signs of support appeared on university campuses around the world, and the images circulated on social media. Chinese authorities censored references to Sitong Bridge and related terms, and some people who shared the images were detained. The incident also coincided with changes in China’s tech tools, such as an iOS AirDrop update that restricted unsolicited sharing, which some linked to government efforts to curb information about the protest. Baidu Maps removed the Sitong Bridge location from its maps.
The Sitong Bridge protest is considered one of the more significant anti-government actions under Xi Jinping and is seen as inspiring later protests in China.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 09:14 (CET).