Guangzhou (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Unknown television pirates successfully re- routed the television signal in the rich southern province of Guangdong and for over an hour transmitted messages against the Communist Party. The attack took place on the night of May 1st, the national Labour Day holiday.
Local media and dozens of witnesses report that between 8 and 9 at night the saw anti government slogans and footage targeting the communist leaders. The provincial television station confirmed the interruption and admitted that the television satellite signal was attacked by hackers.
The footage, showing a slogan urging viewers to abandon the Communist Party, was briefly shown during the Happy Boys talent show. According to some non-state news websites, the interruptions also occurred in several other cities including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan and Tianjin, reaching millions of viewers.
Officials from Guangzhou and the broadcasting networks could not be reached for comment yesterday because of the "golden week" holidays.
No organisation has claimed responsibility for hijacking the TV signal.
It is not the first time that mainland satellite television signals have been disrupted. In past years, Falun Gong supporters have commandeered the country's major television satellite station several times to show videos protesting against the government's crackdown on the group.
