Photo:VCG

In recent years, the Beijing Capital International Airport has seen hundreds of fans detained and fined for disruptive behaviors. The culprits were given administrative penalties for actions that include disturbing public order and invading privacy, according to a statement by the airport police on Wednesday.

By Thursday afternoon, the hashtag "Hundreds of Fans Detained and Fined at Beijing Capital International Airport" had garnered about 60 million views and sparked over 8,000 discussions on China's X-like platform Sina Weibo. 

"'Celebrity chasing' itself is not prohibited by law, but the process of pursuing celebrities must not disregard laws and regulations," reads the statement by the airport police. "The chaos caused by fan groups should not be borne by passengers. Fanatic 'celebrity chasing' disrupts public order, infringes on other travelers' legitimate rights, and poses a potential threat to public safety."

The statement cites several incidents from this year as examples. In February, a woman was fined 200 yuan for her behavior: After obtaining information about a celebrity's flight, she bought a ticket for a nearby flight to pass through security, met the celebrity before exiting and having her ticket being refunded. 

In June, more than 700 fans gathered at the Terminal 2, creating a significant crowd that alarmed the airport staff. The following month, a similar situation occurred, leading to severe congestion at the terminal. In that occasion, the airport police fined five fans 200 yuan each for "ignoring multiple warnings and disrupting public order."

"Airports are crucial transportation hubs with dense passenger flows. Behaviors such as stalking, filming, and crowding can easily block passages and cause dangerous situations like stampedes. We urge fans to pursue their interests civilly and rationally. Disruptive behaviors will be met with legal consequences," said the statement.

Zhang Yiwu, a professor of cultural studies at Peking University, told the Global Times that interaction within fandoms creates overly-cohesive and close-minded circles, which tend to lead to the banalization of young people's rational thought and to black or white views on society.

The Chinese government has been dealing with unhealthy fandom culture since 2021 and measures, including canceling all ranking lists of entertainers, barring forums that lead to chaos, and requesting agencies to better manage fan groups and to cracking down on frenzied idol worship among underage fans.

"It is an urgent task to manage fan circles and rectify these youngsters' ideologies, leading them to show support for their idols in a rational manner, and this needs cooperation from all parties," Zhang noted.