Editor's note: The following was translated and edited from an article that appeared on the Chinese news portal iFeng.com. The article concerns the recent sentencing of a female model who'd posted indecent photos impersonating a "police flower" (警花)—i.e., cute policewoman—on Weibo, apparently causing netizen distress and damaging the image of the Chinese police force. The model, known only as Ms. Wang, was sentenced to nine months in jail and one year probation. The moral of the story: think twice about what you post on Weibo!
In an effort to get more clicks on Weibo, a 23-year-old model known only as Ms. Wang recently impersonated a policewoman in a post featuring indecent photos and text on Weibo, earning the attention of netizens… and the real police. As Beijing's Fengtai District court authorities revealed, Wang's guilty plea and remorseful attitude earned her a lightened sentence of nine months in jail and one year probation for the crime of fraud. According to reports, Wang is the first person ever convicted for impersonating police in online posts.
"Police flower" posts illicit photos on Weibo
At 10:40 on the morning of July 2, Weibo user "Xin Er Hui An" (馨儿徽安) posted the following message: "As a police officer in my hometown, everything has to start from zero; I must study diligently. As a "police flower", there's a lot of pressure on me. Since I returned home, there's been so much pressure…"Police flower" is just a name. As both a model and a ‘police flower', everyday I eat, drink, chat, and bring in business."
The post was accompanied by three photographs, the first of a girl in police uniform posing heroically, the second of a girl in a bikini posing in the bathroom, and the third of a girl in a police shirt and not much else, putting on a pair of black silk stockings. The post was an instant sensation. However, many netizens felt it was harmful to the image of the Chinese police force, while even more netizens doubted the identity of this "police officer", believing the post to be a malicious attempt to stir up trouble.
Shenanigans called within a day
Around 16:00 on the day of the original post, Weibo authorities flagged the post as containing falsified information. They revealed that the photos posted by "Xin Er Hui An" were the same as ones posted by a different user, "Li Qingfang real", in 2011. An official police Weibo account confirmed that no such person exists in any police department records in the country. Further investigation revealed that "Xin Er Hui An" is a confirmed Weibo account, confirmed with an occupation of "photo model".
Accountability: model convicted of fraud
On July 3, Fengtai police authorities revealed that Ms. Wang, the owner of the "Xin Er Hui An" account, has been apprehended. The 23-year-old Wang is from Henan Province, her parents both farmers. After being unemployed since graduating high school, Wang arrived in Beijing in 2007 and began work as a hotel employee, then as a promoter for a media company, then later as a model. According to the official investigation, Wang was residing temporarily in Fengtai District when, in the interest of increasing her own fame, the number of visitors to her Weibo page and other benefits, she impersonated a police officer by posting indecent photos and text, which then garnered over 500 forwards and over 300 comments.
In court, Wang pleaded guilty. She claimed her post was devoid of any intent other than recreation, and that she deleted it before it could cause any ill effects: "What I posted were art photos, and what I was wearing wasn't a real police uniform." The court deemed her guilty of fraud for impersonating a police officer, though after considering her guilty plea and her honesty, her sentence was reduced to nine months in jail and one year of probation.
"It was all fake. I made it all up.""
The following dialogue took place in the courtroom before sentencing:
Prosecutor: "Have you ever been employed as a police officer?"
Wang: "No."
Prosecutor: "If you've never been a police officer, why did you post these photos?"
Wang: "I just thought it would be fun. To get noticed, to make people take a look at my photos, to get more clicks. However, after I posted them I realized the comments weren't very positive; in fact most of them were angry, so I deleted it."
Prosecutor: "If you're not a police officer, where did you get the police uniform?"
Wang: "On December 20, 2011, I signed a contract with an advertising company for some modeling photographs; they were supposed to represent the female protagonist of a novel. After the shoot they sent me some of the photographs, of which fifteen were with the police uniform, which was provided by the company."
Prosecutor: "Why did you identify yourself on Weibo as a police officer?"
Wang: "Because that novel was about the life of a ‘police flower', and because I was wearing the uniform in the photos, so I made up something to go along with the photographs, just to get more noticed."
Prosecutor: "Were your posts on Weibo truthful?"
Wang: "No, not truthful; it was all fake. I made up all of it."
Prosecutor: "Did you think about the consequences?"
Wang: "I didn't know it was illegal when I posted them, so I didn't think about it too much. Then other netizens criticized me and only then did I realize I was hurting the image of the police."
Source: ifeng.com
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Keywords: Weibo sexy police photos sexy Chinese police impersonator Chinese police model sentenced
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At least she's honest. Better than 90% of clickbait video/photo uploaders these days who double down on their publicity seeking lies.
Apr 13, 2023 13:24 Report Abuse
Clearly the Police need a new PR Director. They blew a great opportunity to recruit new young police officers. And Crimo my friend, I am not waiting for her to get out of jail. I will go visit her and offer her all the support she needs to overcome the harrassment she will get when she is released
Dec 07, 2012 23:01 Report Abuse
I don't get the description in the article: "and the third of a girl in a police shirt and not much else, putting on a pair of black silk stockings."
- errm isn't that exactly the pic above? Where aside from stockings she's actually wearing a hat, a shirt, and... are those hot pants? Basically the good stuff's still hidden. Although her legs are hot.
The writer's obviously blind or stupid.
Dec 07, 2012 02:50 Report Abuse
And here we have a case of "apples and oranges." Two completely different things. This girl "cheap bimbo" or not, did not place a post saying she was a terrorist and was going to bomb something. She just put on a sexy costume. Did not try to arrest anyone. So no, not end of story. But nice trying to put forth an example that has nothing to do with what we have here. Wars? Yeah, but not what we are talking about here. Different conversation.
Putting this girl in jail is just weak. Way to embarass yourselves and demonstrate again, the idea of free speech just does not register.
Dec 06, 2012 23:55 Report Abuse
And that's the story of why my wife wouldn't marry a Chinese man, despite being offered a substantial amount of money.
Dec 06, 2012 05:57 Report Abuse
This whole FREEDOM OF SPEECH things has not yet caught on.
"I completely disagree with what you are saying but I will die for your right to say it."
--Patrick Henry, US Patriot
Dec 05, 2012 20:24 Report Abuse
No it is not "unbridled." You cannot shout fire in s crowded theatre. The US Supreme Court just had to issue a decision saying you could not be arrested for videoing a police officer performing their duty (or involved in misconduct). Sadly, this was happening a lot.
It is not perfect. It is aspirational. But it is not this. And having it not be perfect anywhere does not excuse or diminish it being non-existant in any place. I just read an article advsising Chinese employers on how to deal with any foreigner who made an "anti-China" statement. CALL THE PSB. Seriously?! In the US and UK, EU... If someone in any of them, especially workign there, says cockneys are obnoxious or yanks are smelly or the French are (take your pick jaja)... What would we do? Not have dinner with them. Tell them to go home, get out. Maybe fire them? But call the police.
And you read and hear explanations like, "Oh but rumors will be spread. Facebook is just propaganda, diplomacy by other means." And the people are willing to accept it. Mostly in the West, we assume all of our politicians are lying. And maybe they are or aren't. But they can say ANYTHING. It is the role of a free press and ultimately the PEOPLE to sort out the truth.
Just not understood here yet. And if the idea is to stifle free speech to foster stability, see how that works over time...
Dec 05, 2012 21:10 Report Abuse
Hardly "impersonating"
Not like she is really holding herself out to be a cop. No more than someone dressing up as one for halloween. Critical thinking?
Dec 06, 2012 05:39 Report Abuse
you need to read things clearly.
I have stated that the penalty is harsh, putting a young niave girl in jail is kind of like pushing someone into crime. I'm sure she will make connections. I also said that it is amazing how quick it all went while high profile people are just forgotten about with their dodgy dealings. Again I also mentioned that a note to her to take it down would have been the fair thing to do, with further action if she didn't.
Second, is the fact that it isn't merely someone dressing up, as in Halloween or strippers as has been mentioned, as she states she is a police woman, therefore she is "holding herself out to be a cop". Therefore anything she does or has done or will do, will reflect on the police, for good and bad, it does not matter what you and I think and that what she did wasn't bad. The fact is that little old men and woman have different ideas on how their police should act in public.
It is the law and she was foolish for playing a police woman online. Which I say again, is real life. What you do online does count and can be a crime.
Dec 06, 2012 17:18 Report Abuse
Dear China,
You complain a lot about the people of the west looking down on you. Please stop making it so easy.
No regards,
Every non-china born person
Dec 05, 2012 18:32 Report Abuse
EXACTLY!!! when the chinese govt sexualize their female police officers or women in the military for propaganda, it is ok.
Dec 05, 2012 15:01 Report Abuse
in China, a girl can be murdered by a man and no punishment handed down. but if a girl poses as a police officer (mind you the damn uniforms can be purchased by anyone at the uniform store), she will get hard time.
and chinese men still wonder why chinese women are running to foreign men. thank you china!
and did they punish those 6 teachers yet? or are they still "investigating" (waiting for it to blow over)?
Dec 05, 2012 14:59 Report Abuse
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