Chinese student jailed in US for threatening to ‘cut off hands’ of activist

Xiaolei Wu, a music student in Boston, is jailed after being found guilty of harassing a pro-democracy activist.

A Chinese music student has been jailed for nine months in the United States after threatening to cut off the hands of a fellow student at a prestigious music institute in Boston after she posted pro-democracy fliers on campus.

Xiaolei Wu, 26, was arrested in December 2022 after threatening another Berklee College of Music student who had put up fliers saying “Stand With Chinese People” and “We Want Democracy”.

Wu made a series of threats to the victim via the WeChat messaging app, email and Instagram, including to “chop your b****** hands off” if more fliers were posted.

Wu also warned the victim, referred to in court only as Zooey, that he had informed the public security agency in China about her actions. He carried through on the threat by reporting her to his mother, a Chinese government official. He also posted her email address publicly.

He was found guilty in January on charges of cyberstalking and threatening behaviour.