Li Tianyi, Bad Boy Son of Singing Chinese General, Arrested On Gang-Rape Charges, Eliciting Outrage

By Angelo Young | February 22 2013 9:26 AM

The arrest in China of the son of a Chinese general on gang-rape charges has sparked the kind of outrage in conservative Chinese society that's usually reserved specifically for the ill behavior of officials’ children. And this isn’t the first time this particular privileged child has raised hackles.

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Gen. Li Shuangjiang (left) performs with his son Li Tianyi in this undated video screenshot from prior to Li's first arrest for assaulting a couple on a Beijing street in 2011.

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Very little information is available about the allegations, but what is known is that Li Tianyi, 17, was detained on Thursday on suspicion of involvement in a gang rape, according to the AFP, which cited local television media reports.

But with little to go on, the Chinese “Weibo-sphere” (Sina Weibo is China's version version of Twitter) was buzzing with outrage about the alleged behavior of the son of Gen. Li Shuangjiang, a 72-year-old senior military official known for his patriotic singing voice, seen here:

"Child, why don't you stop disturbing everyone and quickly grow up," said one post, written in Mandarin. "Your father has a glorious past, and you are blaspheming it."

Beijing officials are not as vocal; they have referred all queries to local media reports, which are scant in details. The public’s outrage is possibly more poignant than usual since Li had already developed a bad-boy reputation.

In September 2011, Li was sentenced to one year in detention after he assaulted a couple on a Beijing street in an apparent road-rage incident, according to the Wall St. Journal. Li, who was 15 at the time, then warned witnesses not to call police.