US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo File photo: AFP

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's tweets on Thursday about the storming of the US Capitol — saying the actions of pro-Trump protestors in Washington were "unacceptable" — were mocked by many Chinese netizens, who have seen through his hypocrisy in applauding rioters in multiple other countries and regions, but pulling a long face to the riots happening on his own doorstep.

"Lawlessness and rioting - here or around the world - is always unacceptable," said Pompeo in a tweet which was later translated and posted on China's Twitter-like Weibo by the US Embassy in China. He also wrote that "…violence, putting at risk the safety of others including those tasked with providing security for all of us, is intolerable both at home and abroad."

Pompeo's remarks have so far received more than 16,700 comments on Weibo as of 3 pm Friday, with many Chinese web users scoffing at Pompeo and other US politicians, after they pointed their fingers at China's Hong Kong affairs, finally tasting the bitterness of violence and calamity that often falls under the cover of "freedom and democracy" in places overseas, at least so they claim.

"What a 'Washington Spring!' Pompeo, how do you like this long-awaited New Year's gift for the US?" a Weibo user commented under the translated post.

"Don't you appreciate such a 'beautiful sight?' Have you forgotten what you said about Hong Kong?" wrote another, drawing on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's shameless support of the smashing and robbing of rioters in Hong Kong as a "beautiful sight."

At least five people have died in the stunning Capitol riot, including an "unarmed" female Trump supporter who was confirmed as "a veteran of the United States Air Force" deployed in Iraq, US media reported.

"What a poor American veteran!" a Chinese netizen commented. "She used to kill people for the US, but now the US killed her."

Instead of calling the Capitol rioters "freedom (or democracy) fighters" like US politicians have often done when witnessing similar scenes overseas, Pompeo condemned the behaviors of the rioters as "unacceptable" and "intolerable" in his tweets.

His double standards were taunted by Chinese Weibo users, who said it is more unacceptable and intolerable for the US to shoot "its own warriors of democracy and freedom."

"An unarmed, peace-loving American woman was brutally killed by the cops," a user said, imitating the familiar tone expressed by some US politicians. "This is a merciless trampling of the US police on democracy and freedom, and a merciless violation of American people's human rights."

"The US officials need an introspection; they need to think over what kind of government it is that has driven its people to this point," a user wrote, teasing that it's time for Pompeo to think about imposing sanctions on the US itself.

More netizens jeered the chaos as karma. "Congratulations to Pompeo and the US, you've finally achieved the 'democracy' that you have been advocating for abroad," one wrote on Weibo on Friday.

Global Times