‘Do not get into a fight’: police send warning after rare pub brawl in Tibet

Dozens of people involved in a rare brawl in Tibet have been handed administrative penalties, according to police in the autonomous region, where security is tight for fear of independence or terrorist activities.

Police in Lhasa, capital of the western region, said in a statement on Monday that the fight had broken out in front of a pub in the city around 4am on May 7.

Some of those involved in the melee had already fled the scene by the time police arrived, but all 31 people who took part were tracked down by officers later in the day.

They were handed administrative penalties on Friday, the statement said.

It warned that there were heavy punishments for fighting in Tibet, including being excluded from serving in the military and being disqualified from applying for government jobs.

The police statement also cited legal consequences if a clash led to injury or death, including heavy fines, jail time or even the death penalty.

“Do not get into a fight,” the police said. “If you lose, you’ll end up in hospital. If you win, you’ll end up in jail.”

South China Morning Post