Kongjiang Road Incident

On September 13, 1979, a dispute over a traffic incident on Kongjiang Road in Shanghai escalated into a mass public disorder event. A traffic policeman detained a young man for riding a bicycle while holding a child. The officer's harsh attitude angered onlookers, who surrounded and attacked police and their vehicle. The crowd grew uncontrollable, smashing the police car windows and releasing the detainee. The unrest lasted several hours, disrupting traffic and public order. It was a significant case of mob violence and a breakdown of social order in the early years of China's reform and opening-up period, highlighting deep social tensions.

Authorities classified it as a serious anti-revolutionary riot. Five individuals deemed as primary instigators were arrested and subsequently executed. The swift and severe response was intended to restore order and serve as a deterrent.

The primary dispute was whether the event constituted a spontaneous expression of public anger against authoritative policing methods versus a premeditated, illegal riot undermining state authority. Debates centered on the proportionality of the initial police action and the subsequent legal classification of the crowd's collective behavior.

The incident shocked the nation and was a critical factor in the Chinese government's decision to launch the "Strike Hard" anti-crime campaign, initiated the early 1980s. It exposed vulnerabilities in urban public security management, led to stricter social controls, and significantly influenced China's criminal justice policy, emphasizing severe punishment for crimes disrupting public order.