No evidence to suggest Firecracker Dragon festival was ‘suppressed by the government’
Three 15-second videos were posted on X on Feb. 8 with a claim that they show Chinese police stopping and suppressing a Lunar New Year celebration called “Firecracker Dragon” (炸龙) in Fuchuan, Guangxi Province, on Feb. 7.
The videos depict a large group of police officers marching on a road littered with what appears to be firecracker remnants, accompanied by the sounds of sporadic explosions.
The Simplified Chinese post alleges that the traditional firecracker celebration of the local Yao people was banned by the government. It further claims that when the locals defied orders and continued the event, “Chinese Special Police and the People’s Liberation Army arrived at the scene and dispersed the crowd.”
The videos were also shared on X (here, here, and here), gaining 90 comments and 858 likes. They sparked criticisms of police actions among some users who appeared to have believed the claim.
However, Annie Lab found no evidence that supports these allegations. Conversely, online videos we found suggest that the event proceeded smoothly with support from local authorities.
In footage collected by Annie Lab, law enforcement officers can be seen standing guard near citizens setting off firecrackers without interference. The festival was held again as planned five days later as well.
The “Firecracker Dragon” festival, celebrated on the 10th (Feb. 7, 2025) and 15th (Feb. 12, 2025) days of the first lunar month, dates back to the Wanli era (1573-1620) of China’s Ming Dynasty. According to Lin Zhenyu, director of the Fuchuan Yao Autonomous County Cultural Center, participants throw lit firecrackers at a dragon and its dance team as part of Lunar New Year celebration.
This year’s two festivals on Feb. 7 and Feb. 12 took place at the intersection of Minzu Road, Fenghuang Road, and Minzu South Road in Fuchuan, as reported by a local government media outlet (archived here).
Geolocation verification
Annie Lab identified some stores visible in the videos and confirmed they were filmed at the same location where the Firecracker Dragon event was held.
The same sign board that shows a shop named Leduoduo Food Shop (乐多多食品商店), a brand Dream of The Blue (蓝色经典梦之蓝), and another store Mashanglai Cardroom (麻上来棋牌室) appears in all three videos.
Additionally, Qiannianjian Pharmacy (千年健大药房) and a street sign for Minzu Road (民族路) are visible in the two of the three clips.
These landmarks match those at the intersection identified on the online map Gaode Maps, also known as Amap, and in a Douyin video posted on Feb. 10 by a local vlogger, who recorded the festival during the daytime (the intersection with the matching signs appear at 3:04 in the clip).
Social media video evidence
Videos shared on Douyin (here and here) and photos posted by internet users show that local residents and tourists actively participated in the Firecracker Dragon celebration, throwing firecrackers at the dragon without interference from authorities.
Aerial footage from Feb. 7 also shows large crowds celebrating with firecrackers while at least one police officer standing nearby. He did not attempt to disrupt proceedings. Another drone video uploaded on Feb. 13 depicts a similar scene.
Government support for the event
Fuchan Public Security Bureau issued a notice (archived here) stating that traffic control measures were implemented on Feb. 7, 8, 12, and 13 in the area of Minzu Road to ensure public safety during the festival. These measures were approved by both the County Commission and County People’s Government, it said.
Videos uploaded by local police (here and here; archived here and here) to their official Douyin account after both festival days highlight their role in safeguarding attendees and maintaining order. A caption from one video reads, “The security mission was successfully completed! See you at the 15th Lantern Festival!”
Fuchuan County Party Secretary Yin Zhe and County Governor Hu Dejun inspected preparations for the event on Feb. 6, according to the Fuchuan Propaganda Department’s post on WeChat (archived here), indicating authorities’ support for the event.
We also looked at 2023 footage from Fuchuan police’s official Douyin account, which illustrated similar police operations in 2023. This year’s festival does not seem to have been any different.
