On August 5, a video of “a woman releasing cockroaches in a residential community in Langfang, Hebei” went viral online, sparking heated discussions among netizens.
On August 6, a reporter from Xiaoxiang Morning Post contacted the owners and property management of the Tianyang City community in Langfang, Hebei Province, to confirm the authenticity of the video. The incident of the woman releasing cockroaches occurred on August 4. Upon receiving feedback from the owners, the property management company organized personnel to disinfect and sterilize the scene on the 5th.
The video shows a middle-aged woman in a yellow T-shirt being recorded by a witness as she releases live cockroaches into a flower bed in the community. The witness approached and asked, “Are you from this community?” However, the woman did not respond and continued to tap a small box against the stone slab, letting the cockroaches crawl out. When the woman did not answer, the witness continued to ask, “Are you from this community?” After releasing the cockroaches, the woman packed up the box and countered, “On what basis are you filming?” In total, the woman brought five boxes, and apart from the one she held, the other four were already empty.
A reporter from Xiaoxiang Morning Post contacted a resident of Tianyang City community. The resident reported that the owners were discussing the incident in their group, which occurred on August 4. The owners expressed their anger over the woman’s behavior in releasing cockroaches, and they were also concerned about the potential hygiene issues that could arise, reporting the situation to the property management company.
On August 6, property management staff at the community told reporters from Xiaoxiang Morning Post, “The property management has organized staff for disinfection and sterilization. Any further action needs to be reported to the property leadership.” The reporter contacted the official hotline of Longhu Property for more details, and the staff indicated they had received the situation and would arrange for someone to contact the reporter. As of the time of publication, the reporter had not received any relevant response.
Lawyer: If it is an invasive species, releasing it randomly may constitute a crime
In recent years, various news related to releasing animals have emerged, drawing societal attention. Luo Xiang, a professor at the Criminal Justice School of China University of Political Science and Law and a well-known legal blogger, has conducted legal analyses on the act of releasing animals. The newly added crime in the “Criminal Law Amendment” (Eleven) is called “illegal introduction, release, or abandonment of foreign invasive species,” which mentions the issue of releasing cockroaches. If the cockroaches released are Southern American cockroaches, scientifically known as “Periplaneta americana,” and classified as an invasive species, such behavior may constitute a crime.
Zhong Zhiyuan, a lawyer from Hunan Rujin Law Firm, stated that in recent years, numerous cases of environmental damage and economic loss caused by release activities have been prevalent. Article 344 of the Criminal Law of China stipulates that if someone violates national regulations by illegally introducing, releasing, or abandoning foreign invasive species in serious situations, they may face up to three years in prison or criminal detention, along with fines or separate penalties. Lawyer Zhong believes that ignorance of the law cannot be a basis for not being punished for the release of invasive wild species. Law enforcement agencies need to serve educational purposes through case studies and reports. “Punishing previous offenders prevents similar behavior in the future.”
