Park Rangers and Tourists Fight, Throw Rocks at Each Other in Yunnan

Park Rangers and Tourists Fight, Throw Rocks at Each Other in Yunnan
Feb 20, 2014 By eChinacities.com

On February 18 at Yunan’s Jiaozi Mountain Park an unfortunate event took place between visitors and three of the park’s rangers. The two stories coming from both sides, the tourists account and the Park’s Official statement, are understandably contradictory.

One of the visitors involved wrote on Weibo that he went to the park with some friends and family. While there he and some of the other men were smoking when a park ranger asked them to put out their cigarettes because smoking is forbidden in the park. The ranger also asked the man to hand over his lighter and cigarettes but the visitor refused, saying that the lighter is one he borrowed from a friend and the cigarettes don’t pose a threat if unlit. Later, when the tour group were lining up for the cable car, the rangers attacked the group for disobeying the law. At some point one of the rangers threw a rock at the touring party.

The park officials released a statement too and, not wanting to lose face, put the blame on the tourists. The rangers said that they politely asked for the men to stop smoking and give them their lighters. One of the rangers was filming the event, which caught the ire of one of the visitors, where after a few of the men approached the man, took his phone and assaulted the rangers, leaving two in hospital.

What actually happened is hard to determine when both parties are so determined to be seen as the victims. The case is currently under investigation but it seems like it will be a tough call to make.

Source: news.china.com

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Keywords: Park Rangers and Tourists Fight in Yunnan

8 Comments

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JulienF

Throwing rocks, wow, that's very deep ! >__<

Feb 26, 2014 00:16 Report Abuse

Guest554626

Throw rocks at each other over cigarettes?so they could have killed each other over stupid cigarettes and a lighter? Is it a cartoon episode?

Feb 24, 2014 08:24 Report Abuse

zayabingi

so who is telling the truth

Feb 24, 2014 02:27 Report Abuse

royceH

I've seen people going to the toilet in stairwells.

Feb 23, 2014 19:55 Report Abuse

bill8899

All good things must come to an end.

Feb 21, 2014 16:01 Report Abuse

Mateusz

I'm glad that the rangers actually enforced the smoking ban, when usually, Chinese get away with smoking anytime and anywhere, regardless of the law. Since it was a state park, I'm guessing the ban was to prevent forest fires, and reduce some of the littering (walk down the sidewalk in any major Chinese city, and you'll see cigarette butts all over the ground. Even on floors in buildings, I've seen cigarette butts). As for taking the lighters and packs of cigarettes, the rangers probably just didn't trust that the guys wouldn't just light up again after the rangers left, something pretty likely. As far as the fighting, it's hard to say who is at fault. Probably both were so concerned about pride and face that a fight was inevitable.

Feb 21, 2014 02:00 Report Abuse

coineineagh

I'm in favour of enforcing No Smoking rules, but... Outdoors? Hand in lighter and smokes? OTT if true. Definitely a clash of prideful, misbehaving idiots on both ends.

Feb 20, 2014 21:44 Report Abuse