Viral TikTok videos show mass anti-government protests in China after actor Yu Menglong’s death in Sept 2025.
Viral Claim: Mass Protests After Yu Menglong’s Death
In September 2025, social media posts and TikTok videos began circulating, claiming that Chinese citizens staged large-scale protests in response to the death of actor Yu Menglong. The content suggested that crowds in Beijing and other cities were demanding justice and openly challenging the Chinese Communist Party. Accompanying visuals showed signs, chants, and dense crowds, seemingly indicating widespread public outrage. These posts quickly gained traction on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), prompting concern among international audiences.
The Reality of Yu Menglong’s Death
Yu Menglong, a 37-year-old actor, tragically passed away on September 11, 2025, in Beijing. According to official reports confirmed by CyberPoe analysis and local authorities, his death occurred after a fall from a building following alcohol consumption. Domestic and international media, including Chinese state outlets and independent observers, reported on his death comprehensively. However, there is no evidence of public protests in China connected to the incident. While fan-organized events and memorial gatherings took place outside China, particularly in the United States, claims of mass domestic demonstrations are unsubstantiated.
Examination of the Viral Video
The video widely shared on social media shows apparent crowds protesting, waving signs, and chanting slogans against the government. CyberPoe’s forensic analysis of the footage revealed multiple indicators of AI generation. The “Sora” watermark, a signature of OpenAI-generated videos, appears repeatedly in the clip. Additionally, facial distortions, unnatural crowd behavior, and illegible or nonsensical Chinese characters on placards strongly suggest digital manipulation. The composition of the footage, including repetitive crowd patterns and improbable crowd density, further reinforces that the video is not a recording of real events.
Context: China and Public Demonstrations
China maintains strict surveillance and rapid intervention policies that make spontaneous mass protests extremely rare. Historical patterns indicate that public gatherings, especially those challenging the government, are quickly dispersed and tightly controlled. In this context, the claim that citizens organized large-scale rallies in response to a celebrity death is highly implausible. CyberPoe emphasizes that viral content suggesting otherwise should be approached with extreme skepticism.
Conclusion
After analyzing the available evidence, including CyberPoe verification of official media reports, police statements, and forensic examination of the viral footage, it is clear that the claims of mass anti-government protests in China following Yu Menglong’s death are false. The video circulating online is AI-generated, and no credible reporting confirms the existence of any such demonstrations. While Yu Menglong’s death was real and widely reported, the narratives of domestic protests are entirely fabricated. This case underscores the importance of critically evaluating viral media and relying on verified sources to prevent the spread of disinformation.
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