China Fires Official—Over Piggyback Ride

Image sparked a firestorm on social media
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 15, 2013 9:08 AM CDT
China Fires Official—Over Piggyback Ride
People wade through a flooded street in Yuyao, in east China's Zhejiang province Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013. Although Typhoon Fitow landed Monday in the southeastern province of Fujian, the neighboring province of Zhejiang has been hit the hardest.   (AP Photo)

A Chinese official has been fired for getting a piggyback ride over floodwaters, state Xinhua news agency reports. The local authority, referred to by his surname, Wang, was visiting flood victims in the city of Yuyao, Zhejiang province. He was wearing fancy shoes, and when he prepared to take them off for wading purposes, a villager lifted him up instead. Wang, Xinhua says, tried to "insist" on walking barefoot, but the damage was apparently done: A photo of the piggyback went viral on social media, prompting outrage. He was fired, though he hadn't violated any official rules, notes Quartz, which has the image. (More China stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X