How Twitter’s “Teacher Li” became the central hub of China protest information

It is difficult to describe the feelings that came after. Everyone is coming to you with information from all over the world and people are telling you what's happening in Guangzhou. I don't know how to describe the feeling of suddenly receiving all the real-time information. There was no time to ponder it.

Because you can't save a video with a web version, my heart was beating very fast, and my hands and brain were constantly changing between different software programs. I was editing the video, exporting it, and then posting it on the social networking site. Li adds subtitles, blocks out account information, and compiles short videos into one. There was no time left to make edits. I would use the 12-second video as is if someone shot it and sent it. It's all done.

The largest amount of private messages was received on Sunday night. There were a lot of people on the street in China at that time. I was unable to screen the information anymore. I posted it if it was worth it.

People all over the country are talking to me. They went to the protest sites themselves to make sure more people weren't at risk. Some people were riding bikes near the presidential palace, taking pictures, and telling me about the city. They wanted me to tell everyone to be cautious. That is a moving thing.

I have become an anchor in a TV studio, receiving endless information from reporters all over the country. There were many people updating me on the latest news in the same day. When the police cleared the venue, all of them ran away.

On the importance of staying objective 

There are a lot of false statements on social media. They think it's the right thing to do They think you have to maximize the anger so that there is a revolt. We need reliable information for me. The most important thing is knowing what is really happening. I would have been involved in the foreign influence if we were doing it for the emotion.

If there is a news account outside of China that can record what is happening objectively, in real time, and accurately, then people in the Great Firewall will no longer have doubts. To be able to have an account that can keep posting news from all over the country at a very fast pace is a huge boost for everyone.

Chinese people grow up with patriotism, so they shy away from speaking directly or opposing something directly. The crowd waved the red flag and sang the national anthem during the protests. The Chinese people are proud of their country. They do it when they want things from the government.