The exiled Chinese artist spoke to Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips about the cancellation of his exhibition by a gallery in London.

He was responding to a question about the cancellation of his exhibition by the Lisson Gallery in London in November following comments on social media referencing the Israel-Hamas conflict.

His post, which was subsequently deleted, suggested the “sense of guilt around the persecution of the Jewish people” had been transferred and used against the Arab world.

Referring to his own family’s exile when he was one year old, the activist said: "I grew up within this heavy political censorship.

“I realise now, today in the West, you are doing exactly the same.”

He drew parallels with the disastrous purge under Mao, which took China to the brink of anarchy.

Criticising the suspension of two New York University professors for comments related to Gaza, Ai said: "This is really like a cultural revolution, which is really trying to destroy anybody who have different attitudes, not even a clear opinion.

Ai’s art often addresses political issues in China and he has frequently criticised Beijing’s record on human rights and democracy.

  • HelixDab2@lemm.ee
    0·
    9 months ago

    The US constitution is more-or-less followed; courts largely try to interpret intent and meaning–or originalism, depending on the judge in question, and it’s mostly followed, eventually. On the other hand, despite what the Chinese constitution says about the right to free speech, assembly, etc., it’s quite clear that there is official state censorship regarding certain subjects, and peaceful assembly in support of, say, democracy will result in people being run down by tanks. In the US, you can accuse a sitting president of sexual assault, and actually file a civil suit against the president, and end up winning a few hundred million for defamation. On the other hand, if you are an international tennis star in China, and you accuse a party official of sexual assault, you will likely disappear for several months before emerging for very limited public appearances to apologize before “retiring” from tennis. If you aren’t famous, odds are pretty good that you just don’t reappear.

    You can argue that peaceful demonstrations in the US are also subjected to police repression–see also BLM–and I’d agree. On the other hand, I would say the number of people killed by state actors in the US at demonstrations usually numbers between zero and the low single digits, while the death toll at Tianmen square alone is believed to have been tens of thousands. The Kent State massacre was likely the largest number of peaceful protesters killed by police in the last 75 years or so in the US.