Police raided two popular bars in Beijing last week in an apparent registration crackdown. Gulou-based Modernista and Mado Bar were both targeted and invaded by police around 11pm on Friday.
Although rumors have been swirling around the capital that this was yet another drug raid, a source who was at Modernista at the time of the incident claims that it was actually a registration check.
“I have read or heard in different places that they [were] coming and checking on drugs. This is not what they did,” the source said. “I know they did that in the past…But this is not what happened in Modernista. It was just a passport and visa control.”
According to the source, about 30 police entered Modernista on Friday night asking to check passports and ID cards. Those who had their documents and paperwork with them did not experience any issues. However, a handful of people did not have the necessary materials were taken to the police station, where some of them were drug tested.
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“I heard people saying they were targeting African people, but I don’t think this is what happened at all. We had several African friends on that night and none of them were put aside. Even Chinese people were controlled.”
Almost all of those who were taken to the police station returned to the bar in under an hour, the source said.
“To be honest there is nothing too dramatic about what happened the other night. We had about 30 police come in and they came to do a passport and visa check. Basically they were quite polite and nice to everyone.”
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