While making his whereabouts fizzle out like that makes people not idolize that man, as we have seen that when you put the face of every mass shooter in the front page of every news outlet it just inspired a few more copycats.
I don’t think the CPC nor anyone ever knew his identity. 1989 was an era before mass surveillance. The only evidence that exists is this grainy analog footage shot from a mile away, and it includes no facial features. Do you know how many ~5’6" men with black hair there were in Beijing?
Here’s from Wikipedia in the aftermath of the 1989 protests:
The 21 most-wanted student leaders’ faces and descriptions were often broadcast on television.[262][263] Photographs with biographies of the leaders followed in this order: Wang Dan, Wuer Kaixi, Liu Gang, Chai Ling, Zhou Fengsuo, Zhai Weimin, Liang Qingdun, Wang Zhengyun, Zheng Xuguang, Ma Shaofang, Yang Tao, Wang Zhixing, Feng Congde, Wang Chaohua, Wang Youcai, Zhang Zhiqing, Zhang Boli, Li Lu, Zhang Ming, Xiong Wei, and Xiong Yan.
While making his whereabouts fizzle out like that makes people not idolize that man, as we have seen that when you put the face of every mass shooter in the front page of every news outlet it just inspired a few more copycats.
I don’t think the CPC nor anyone ever knew his identity. 1989 was an era before mass surveillance. The only evidence that exists is this grainy analog footage shot from a mile away, and it includes no facial features. Do you know how many ~5’6" men with black hair there were in Beijing?
Even if they did lose the person after escorting him out, not making the person a big deal certainly helps in not encouraging copycats
Here’s from Wikipedia in the aftermath of the 1989 protests:
my pet theory is that he’s alive today and doesn’t even know the US has a cool photo of him