Surfing is an exhilarating sport, as is evident from Kelly Slater’s breathtaking sinews on the crests of the waves. But every so often, there comes along a lawbreaker who refuses to bow down to the laws set forth, resulting in bans and embargos. The ban on surfing in Shenzhen was something of a legal tussle, in the wake of a complaint regarding a collision between the surfer and the swimmer. An old video from 2016 in Shenzhen on the same issue is doing rounds on social media once again. The mainland Chinese security officers are seen damaging a surfboard at one of the well-known beaches in the east of Hong Kong.

The event unfolded in Xichong Beach in eastern Shenzhen. A short altercation took place, due to which the officials banned surfing on beaches, citing safety reasons. As the surfer emerged from the water, the officials immediately surrounded him, seizing his board. Here’s a description of what happened next and how the fans reacted to the video.

Surfing video from Shenzhen resurfaces, surfing fans chime in

The surfing video from Shenzhen has become a bone of contention again. The caption reads, “This happened in Shenzhen in 2016. Surfing was banned on beaches within Shenzhen. It was banned because it became too dangerous for swimmers and surfers to be in the same spot. The surfer broke the rules, and the cops punished him for it by sawing off a chunk of his surfboard.” Ardent surfing enthusiasts and the common folk alike took to social media to drop in their two cents on this bothersome matter from the past.

In the video, a man was seen carrying a saw and started cutting the surfboard into two. While the surfer protested, the officials restrained him with force.

Fans poured in their support for the surfer. One of them wrote, “Surfing is not a crime. However, imagine if it got big in China and then wed have hoards of Chinese surfing tourists….nightmare.” Another fan broke down the incident further to give an insight into what followed. They wrote, “The victims and other surfers appealed to the police and local media to stop the chaos and return money for damaged property. Today, the beach administration allowed surfing again, and also compensated for the damage to the saw boards.’’ Hence, it seems that the beach officials are getting a bit considerate owing to the plight of the surfers.

Other fans disapproved of the entire conduct of the officials. ‘’This is an insane level, feeling shameful for their actions as a normal citizen from China!,” they commented. Yet another fan focused on the backdrop of the entire incident. They pointed out, “It’s not banned throughout–just on that particular private beach. The people in the video aren’t even real police. The person who originally posted the video on Facebook said “They aren’t police, this isn’t government sanctioned. It’s the illegal destruction of private property. Boards like that retail for over 3000 rmb.”

Surfing fans seem to have done their research on the given incident. One of them commented, ‘’According to SCMP, this actually happened in 2016 due to the surfer colliding with a swimmer. Afterward, surfing was banned by the company that manages the beach.” Admonishing the administration for their hasty move, fans are vouching for the surfer’s rights. A fan wrote, “Shenzhen beaches… the worst in the world. Full of trash, rules, and a speaker telling the rules of the beaches every 5 minutes. Agh.” The reactions were a mixed bag, ranging from frustration, exasperation to mild relief. The sun, however, did rise following this incident though, bringing much needed joy.

Surfing ban repealed, much to the glee of surfers

A story from a Chinese news source claims that the ban on surfing since the 2016 incident in Shenzhen has now been lifted. Surfing activities have resumed on the beach. Previously, three surfboards were damaged beyond repair. The damage amounted to a total of 3 thousand yuan, or $450. The news source suggests that the management has paid for the damage.

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Given that the entire incident was harsh on the surfer, fans have come together to call out the entire incident in the aforementioned social media post. Knowing the lay of the land as well as the bylaws and strictures put forth are always sacrosanct if you want to have a good time hassle free. Surfers – take notes.

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