BEIJING — Police have detained an activist singer who wrote that she wanted to blow up a government agency seen as inept, a friend said Wednesday. The singer's supporters said she would never have carried out the threat and is being targeted for her critical views.
Wu Hongfei was detained Monday by Beijing police on the charge of "causing trouble," likely because of a post on her microblog, said Hu Jia, an activist who is friends with Wu.
Last weekend, Wu wrote on her microblog that she would like to blow up government housing commission offices. In the post since removed by censors, Wu berated those who work for the agency.
She did not explain the reason for her post, but in an era when many young Chinese adults are complaining about difficulty buying homes, such agencies are widely perceived as being ineffective in ensuring the supply of affordable homes.
The post was made shortly after a man set off a bomb at Beijing's airport, a blast that injured no one but the accused bomber.
Beijing police did not respond to a request to verify Wu's detention.
Chinese authorities have been known to arrest, convict and jail those who make bomb threats on charges of spreading terrorist rumors.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said it is likely Wu's detention was political retribution for her past criticisms of the government.
