Picking flower leads to 'fine, beating' for woman

A woman has claimed that a township official beat her as she argued with the official over a fine of 1,000 yuan ($158) imposed on her for picking a flower in the government's yard.

The woman, surnamed Zhang, alleged she was beaten by Liu Wenhe, the deputy Party chief of Botou township in Binzhou, Shandong province, in front of the government building on Sept 9, according to a Dazhong Daily report on Sept 11.

Zhang was fined 1,000 yuan after a township official caught her picking a flower in the government's yard three months ago. The government cut the electricity supply to the cell phone shop she runs after she refused to pay, she claimed.

Zhang paid the fine a few days later and the electricity was restored, she said.

However, the power was cut again on Sept 9, when two other women in Zhang's neighborhood were found picking flowers and their electricity supplies were cut after they refused to pay the fine, the report said.

The three women went to the township government's office to complain, and Zhang was beaten by Liu when she tried to argue with him, the report said.

In video footage circulating online on Sept 10, Zhang is seen surrounded by eight men in front of the government building, and a man kept kicking and punching her until she fell onto the ground. The violence lasts two minutes and 28 seconds.

The authenticity of the video cannot be independently verified.

An official from the township government refused to comment on the issue when contacted by China Daily on Sept 12.