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Just in: An online Japanese anime fan community with 800,000 users in China has been labeled an “anti-China criminal organization” by the CCP, leading to over 20 administrators detained, more than 10 people formally arrested, and 200+ young people summoned or taken into custody. The “Fan’er Community” was originally a Baidu-based space where young people shared and discussed Japanese anime, often using humor and satire. Police in Yuhuan, Zhejiang Province claimed the group was linked to “foreign forces.” Many members, most of them teenagers, were accused of crimes such as “subversion of state power” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” largely based on their online speech and discussions. To build the case, authorities allegedly coerced confessions, fabricated evidence, and pressured young users to implicate others, turning jokes, memes, and debates into criminal charges. Many detainees were subjected to abuse, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and threats, with minors among those targeted. The crackdown also extended beyond China’s borders. Overseas participants were threatened with arrest upon return, while their families in China faced harassment and intimidation, creating pressure to silence them. More to come.