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In 2009, a street vendor from northeastern China stabbed two city management officers to death when they tried to stop his business. Last week, a court upheld the vendor’s death sentence. But many have voiced support for the street vendor online. That’s because China’s street management officers--known as Chengguan--are notorious for mistreating citizens. Many believe the vendor was only exercising self-defense and should be spared the death sentence.

Last Monday, a court in China’s northeastern Liaoning Province upheld the death sentence of a street vendor. Xia Junfeng was accused of murder after he stabbed two city management officers to death in 2009. The officers, known as Chengguan, were trying to stop his street vending business.

The case has been the center of controversy. Xia's lawyer and family say he was defending himself when a group of Chengguan attacked him.

[Ms. Xia, Street Vendor’s Sister]:
“When they arrested us, we were beaten by a group of them. There were people watching on the side. The police didn’t take any witness statements. Locals were also harassed by police and did not dare to come forth as witnesses. My family will keep pursing this case. He cannot be wrongly accused.”

Monday’s court decision affirmed an earlier ruling that Xia's actions were not self-defense, and the judge upheld the death sentence.

[...]

In response, there’s been increasing reports of street vendors resorting to violence to defend themselves. The public often becomes more incensed when these cases go to trial, because many see the Chinese regime’s opaque legal system as favoring those in power.

Xia's supporters have started an online fundraiser to help him fight the death sentence when it goes to review by the Chinese regime’s Supreme Court.