Student protest erupts at China’s internet addiction rehabilitation school amid abuse allegations
Students at a closed “internet addiction” correctional school in Dezhou, Shandong province, staged a protest on 1 February over alleged abuse and oppression, vandalising dormitories and forcing instructors to flee, according to multiple witnesses and online videos.
- Students at a fully enclosed behavioural correction school in Dezhou reportedly protested alleged abuse, damaging dormitories and facilities.
- Witnesses and former students alleged long-term mistreatment, corporal punishment and harsh disciplinary practices at the school.
- Authorities have not released any official statements, while some students have since been taken home by their parents.
CHINA: A student protest erupted on the night of 1 February at a fully enclosed behavioural correction facility in Dezhou, Shandong province, after students reportedly rebelled against what they described as prolonged oppression and mistreatment by school staff.
The school involved is Huandi Xianglong Quality Education Base (环帝祥龙素质教育基地), a private institution commonly referred to in China as an “internet addiction rehabilitation school”.
According to multiple sources interviewed by overseas Chinese media, students smashed dormitory doors, windows and iron bars, overturned beds, and caused extensive damage within the campus.
Videos circulating online show chaotic scenes inside the dormitory buildings, with broken windows, damaged furniture and students dismantling iron railings in front of instructors and staff members.
Some instructors were reportedly beaten during the unrest, while others fled the campus.
The school’s operations, however, have not completely ceased.
Former Student Alleges Abuse
A former student, identified by the pseudonym Xiao Jie, told reporters that he had been forcibly sent to the school in July last year and was only released in January this year.
He said the facility housed 200 to 300 students, divided into three sections.
According to him, the protest occurred in Section Three, which he described as the most abusive, alleging that instructors there routinely beat students.
Xiao Jie claimed the protest was initiated by a student assistant, a role assigned to certain students to help instructors manage others.
He said the assistant, a friend of his, helped mobilise students after repeated acts of violence by instructors.
“The students were under long-term pressure and oppression,” he said, adding that while he could not disclose specific incidents, physical punishment was common.
He further alleged that corporal punishment included being beaten with sticks, prolonged physical drills from 6am to 10pm, and confinement in so-called “small black rooms” as punishment.
Xiao Jie also claimed the school had previously experienced student suicide cases, though this could not be independently verified.
Families Rush to Retrieve Children
The sister of a current student told reporters that her younger brother managed to borrow a phone on the night of the incident to contact their father, claiming that the school had been surrounded by police and that all instructors had disappeared.
She said her father travelled for five hours to reach the school, only to find no instructors present.
Her brother was eventually brought out by the parents of other students.
She added that her brother was emotionally distressed and cried after the incident, and was not in a condition to speak to reporters.
According to her account, the school later told parents that the unrest was caused by “emotional agitation near the year-end, instructor replacements, and misunderstandings”, claiming that a few individuals had incited trouble.
She alleged that following the unrest, students were locked inside dormitories, which were sealed, leading to further damage as students attempted to break out.
A local resident confirmed that the incident had spread widely through the community, though the exact cause remained unclear.
He said the campus previously operated as a private high school before being rented out following bankruptcy and later converted into the current facility.
School Background and Allegations
Huandi Xianglong Quality Education Base is operated by Shandong Huandi Jinhui Education Management Co, which promotes itself as a legitimate institution focusing on youth behavioural development.
However, critics describe it as part of a controversial network of “internet addiction schools” in mainland China, which have long been accused of harsh discipline, abuse, humiliation, and in extreme cases, student deaths.
Another Shandong resident, identified as Li Yong (pseudonym), said his sister had previously been sent to the school for two months.
According to him, many instructors were former conscripts with little professional training, some with troubled backgrounds.
He alleged widespread disorder within the school, including smoking among female students, inappropriate relationships between students and instructors, drug use, and arbitrary punishments.
He claimed students who broke rules were placed in isolation cells, and one student was detained simply for revealing the school’s tuition fees, reportedly 36,000 yuan for six months.
Official Silence, Online Reaction
As of publication, calls to the school and staff went unanswered, and no official statements have been released by local authorities or state media.
Despite what witnesses described as efforts to suppress information, videos of the protest have continued to circulate online, triggering widespread discussion and largely supportive reactions from netizens.
Many online comments praised the students’ actions, with remarks such as:
- “Where there is oppression, there is resistance.”
- “This is the hope of the nation.”
