BEIJING: An elderly resident in southern China sparked online outrage after cutting a high-altitude worker’s safety rope to use it as a washing line.
The incident occurred when Liu, a worker from Foshan, Guangdong province, was repairing the exterior wall of a high-rise building on Sept 17.
After descending from the 30th floor to a platform on the second floor, he discovered that one of his safety ropes had been cut, with part of the rope left on the platform.
Fortunately, no workers were using the rope for high-altitude operations at the time it was cut.
Liu reported that the rope was 120 metres long, and over 10 metres had been removed, leaving him unable to complete his descent to the first floor. He described the act as “thoughtless.”
An investigation later revealed that the individual responsible was an elderly resident in their late 70s living on the second floor, though their gender has not been disclosed.
The resident claimed they were unaware that the rope was safety equipment or being used for high-altitude work, stating that they cut it to serve as a washing line.
Given the advanced age of the resident, Liu decided not to report the incident to the police. After discussions with the building’s property management company, he sought 400 yuan (US$60) in compensation for the damaged rope.
The incident triggered a wave of condemnation on mainland social media, with related posts receiving over 61 million views.
One online observer criticised the act as “attempted murder,” arguing that age and a lack of knowledge should not excuse the destruction of someone else’s property.
Another commenter suggested that Liu should have reported the matter to the authorities, adding: “Being too lenient only diminishes the consequences for those who do wrong.”
Wang Haogong, a lawyer at Shaanxi Haogong Law Firm, noted that the resident’s actions violated Liu’s property rights by cutting and appropriating the rope. If Liu experienced additional losses, such as lost income, he could pursue further compensation through legal channels.
Wang also pointed out that the 400 yuan claim fell below the legal threshold for theft and would not typically be treated as such.
Under Chinese law, individuals aged 75 and above may receive leniency in both civil and criminal cases, including reduced penalties or lighter legal consequences. They are generally exempt from the death penalty, except in cases involving exceptionally serious crimes.
Similar incidents have been reported in China in recent years.
In December 2017, a man surnamed Cao in Zhengzhou, central China, cut the safety rope of a high-altitude worker during a dispute over construction work.
As a result, the worker fell from the fourth floor and sustained multiple fractures. Cao was subsequently convicted of intentional injury and given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for one year. - South China Morning Post
