There's a saying that goes: reality is often stranger than fiction. Novels need to adhere to a basic sense of reason, while reality can be irrational without regard for logic. If you want to experience just how outlandish reality can be and how rich human diversity is, then the trending police documentary series "Guarding Liberation West 5" on Bilibili is an excellent window into that world.
Poster of "Guarding Liberation West 5"
As a top-tier domestic documentary series, "Guarding Liberation West" skyrocketed to fame with its first season in 2019. The first four seasons collectively garnered over 1.2 billion views online, with the lowest rating on Douban being 8.2. It also propelled the documentary's focus— the Pozi Street Police Station of the Tianxin District in Changsha— into a new hot spot for visitors in the city.
Located in a small alley off Liberation West Road in Changsha, Pozi Street Police Station is as significant to the city as Sanlitun is to Beijing or Nanjing East Road is to Shanghai. This place is at the heart of Changsha’s commercial district, home to cultural streets that represent the city's history, famous bar streets, and old tenement houses. It includes seven large shopping centers, thirty bar clubs, and over 1,300 hotels and guesthouses. The brightest and most complex sides of Changsha converge along Liberation West Road.
The Pozi Street Police Station is responsible for various civil and criminal cases occurring on Liberation West Road. "Guarding Liberation West" focuses on the frontline grassroots police officers in this station, documenting their daily handling of various cases.
Still from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
Strictly speaking, "Guarding Liberation West" is a legal program. When we mention legal programs, it's easy to think of serious shows like "Today's Law" or "Legal Proceedings." The reason "Guarding Liberation West" has taken off beyond that is, to a large extent, due to its lighthearted and down-to-earth style.
In terms of visual style, while privacy concerns meant that the parties involved in the cases are blurred out, the show uses a variety of entertaining imagery and subtitles that allow viewers to fully grasp the thoughts and emotions of the individuals involved. The level of engagement is undeniably high.
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
The cases selected for "Guarding Liberation West" focus on the everyday struggles and exciting incidents that resonate with ordinary people's lives. Many of the cases are filled with unexpected twists and turns, showcasing remarkable characters that leave viewers astounded, making it even more captivating than fiction.
Take the first case from the currently airing fifth season, which highlights a series of unexpected developments that are utterly surprising.
One day, a man surnamed Zhang ran into the police station to report that he had been assaulted by an employee of a crayfish restaurant and demanded the police punish the assailant. However, upon reviewing the CCTV footage, the police discovered another incident: just a minute before Zhang was attacked, he was seen violently confronting his girlfriend outside the restaurant.
In his defense, Zhang insisted, "My wife was drunk and acting irrationally; I was just trying to escort her home." But the police fired back with a series of questions that left him speechless: "Grabbing by the neck is escorting? Pushing her down is escorting? Pulling her hair is escorting? You seem to have a misunderstanding of what escorting entails."
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
After realizing he couldn't sway the police, Zhang attempted to shift the conversation: "I’m the one who called in the report, so why are you focused on my business with my wife?" He continued, "Even if I did hit her, would she press charges? Would she have me detained?"
Eventually, the police contacted Zhang's girlfriend to have her explain the situation at the station. As she arrived, Zhang claimed he was thirsty and wanted some water, and the police allowed him to step outside. Before long, screams of "Help!" echoed from the hallway; it turned out that while drinking water, Zhang had confronted his girlfriend, insisting she testify that he hadn’t harmed her, but she refused, and he lost his temper again inside the police station. Thankfully, the police intervened in time, bringing both of them back to the mediation room.
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
Faced with police questioning, Zhang resorted to emotional manipulation: "My wife and I are very loving. I've only been physical with her twice in the year we've been together. We're already engaged, and we’ve bought a $600,000 apartment!" When the police didn't buy his story, he turned to appeal to his girlfriend: "Honey, do you really want to pursue this with me?"
In a prior individual inquiry, his girlfriend had confirmed that Zhang had indeed abused her, stating, "I’ve thought it through, and it’s pointless to be with him." Yet at this critical moment, she hesitated for a long time and ultimately chose not to press charges. The man, beaming with pride, proclaimed, "See, I told you our relationship was strong; now you believe it!"
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
The police felt helpless; since his girlfriend chose not to pursue charges and no severe consequences had occurred, the matter could only proceed as it was, moving on to the next stage of addressing Zhang’s complaint against the restaurant employee.
When the police questioned the restaurant employee, they discovered that the employee saw Zhang’s violence towards his girlfriend and was so upset that he took the opportunity to confront Zhang. Since the employee only reacted after Zhang had stopped, it couldn't be classified as a heroic act. While the employee’s actions may be emotionally understandable, they were nonetheless wrong under the law and warranted punishment.
Zhang claimed that his iPhone screen was shattered during the altercation and demanded 3,000 yuan in reparations. What followed was an absurd turn of events— the girlfriend, who had just been choked by Zhang, actively calculated his losses as if she had forgotten how he treated her before, oblivious to the fact that the employee's actions stemmed from a desire to defend her.
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
This move from the girlfriend left viewers on Bilibili collectively feeling strained, only able to send them well-wishes for a lasting relationship in the comments.
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
The employee stated he couldn't afford the 3,000 yuan, and Zhang countered, saying that if he didn’t pay, he might spend a few days in detention. Thus, both sides found themselves at an impasse. The next day, however, the case took another unexpected twist, revealing a new case: the restaurant owner came to the police station to report that Zhang had harmed his dog.
Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, the police discovered that after being beaten by the employee, Zhang entered the restaurant, failed to find the employee, and then vented his anger on the owner’s dog, kicking it and even attempting to throw it to the ground. The owner exclaimed, "This dog is like my child; you have to pay me at least 10,000 yuan." The owner clearly sided with the employee, seeking retribution against Zhang. Zhang was, of course, unhappy; having been the one assaulted, he felt he was now being bilked.
When no solution could be found, Officer Su from the police station stepped in. In the midst of this tangled situation, he presented legal regulations, clearly analyzing the responsibilities of both Zhang and the employee. Even in the face of Zhang’s ridiculous attempts to divert attention and argue, Officer Su effectively countered him with reason, earning praise from viewers.
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
I highly recommend watching this segment to see how grassroots police officers use logic and law to resolve disputes, offering a reference for handling similar situations in the future.
Ultimately, through police mediation, both parties reached an agreement: the employee would compensate Zhang 1,500 yuan, and the dispute was settled. During the transfer, however, an unexpected twist occurred as Zhang and the employee criticized the owner for not being fair, stating he paid his staff poorly and showed no willingness to cover their compensation. Zhang even offered the employee a job at his store, claiming he could offer a higher salary. The police, observing this, couldn't help but be taken aback.
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
There are many similarly bizarre cases featured in "Guarding Liberation West 5." In another episode, police received a report from a woman stating that her high school brother, Liao, had been kidnapped for ransom. After pinpointing Liao’s location, the police rushed over only to find him with three newly graduated college students, where Liao denied being kidnapped.
The police interviewed Liao and the college students separately and uncovered a shocking truth: Liao had met these students at a party, boasting that he had learned magic from a Taoist priest and could perform supernatural feats. Astonishingly, the three college students believed him so much that they paid him tuition and even offered him food and lodging, hoping he would teach them his "magic."
Screenshot from "Guarding Liberation West 5"
Liao was bold enough to concoct a package of supposed miraculous medicine for them, which resulted in one student experiencing discomfort and vomiting blood after consumption. This prompted the three students to realize something was off and demand Liao return their money. Liao then called his family for a money transfer, leading them to mistakenly believe he was kidnapped, while in reality, the three college students were the true victims.
The police were speechless upon hearing this, unsure what to say to the college students who had fallen victim to a high schooler’s deception. After communication, Liao's sister returned the money to the students, who left cheerfully and even took a group photo at the police station, the atmosphere bizarrely joyful, raising doubts about whether they had learned any lesson at all.
