A man who last Friday boldly identified himself as the leader of a group that staged a prolonged protest outside a Guildford resident鈥檚 house, accusing him of being a Chinese spy, has this Friday done a 180-degree recant, apologizing to Bingchen (Benson) Gao, his family and neighbours.
Two years ago, members of the New Federal State of China, besieged Gao and his neighbourhood for 77 days in the 9700-block of 149 Street. They returned on Jan. 20 for a second round, this time set for 15 days, but the protest appears to have at least for the time being petered out.
Former protest leader Shiliang Yin, identifying himself now as 鈥淐obe,鈥� staged a presser in Gao鈥檚 cul-de-sac, with Gao 鈥� a journalist who files for a Chinese language newspaper in Vancouver and comments on YouTube 鈥� doing a broadcast of his own in front of a huge sign on his front lawn that heralded 鈥淭he only truth is the truth now.鈥�
Yin, aka Cobe, read from a statement that NFSC put him in charge of a 鈥渢raitor punishment operation鈥� outside Gao鈥檚 home. He now says his group 鈥渘ever had any evidence to accuse Mr. Gao of being a CCP spy.鈥�
鈥淚 deeply regret my reckless behaviours and I am very sorry for Mr. Gao, Mr. Gao鈥檚 family and the residents of the entire family,鈥� the Richmond resident and former computer programmer said. He immigrated to Canada from China in 2008.
Reading from a lengthy statement, Yin said he鈥檚 鈥渁shamed鈥� for the 鈥渟trange protest.鈥�
He said individual protesters were paid $200 a day for their participation, and some 鈥渂elieved that participating in such events can lead to political asylum visas.鈥�
He said he himself was promised his legal fees and living expenses would be paid for, but has received nothing.
Asked what led to his change of heart, and if he was experiencing a crisis of conscience, Yin replied, 鈥渁ll the things they promised me, I got nothing. So I understand the whole thing, what they said, is not true.鈥�
鈥淚 got brainwashed,鈥� he said. Asked why he鈥檚 calling himself Cobe now, he replied 鈥渂ecause I like to play basketball, that鈥檚 why I used Kobe Bryant鈥檚 name,鈥� the Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard who died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.
Gao, who has always denied the allegation he鈥檚 a spy, told the Now-Leader through his translator Dr. Louis Huang 鈥� whom Yin assaulted during the 2020 protest 鈥� that 鈥渢oday, through Mr. Yin鈥檚 mouth, we learn the truth behind this very strange two protests in front of this house.鈥�
He added it was a 鈥渧ery, very hard hardship for them.鈥�
Asked if Gao accepts Yin/Cobe鈥檚 apology, Gao said through his translator he accepts his apology to him and to society and that he wants 鈥渙ther members of this group鈥� to know 鈥渨hat Cobe has done today, sooner or later they鈥檙e going to do the same thing.鈥�
Huang was 鈥渂rutally beaten鈥� in the cul-de-sac in 2020 by Yin and another protester. Yin received a seven-month conditional sentence for the assault. Yin/Cobe expressed 鈥渄eep apologies鈥� to Huang on Friday.
Standing near the spot where he was kicked in the head, and a few strides from Yin on Friday, Huang said the two had never met before the attack. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the hatred, just because of the brainwash,鈥� he remarked.
Alice Zheng, Gao鈥檚 wife, said her husband might sue the protesters for defamation if he鈥檚 able to identify them. Asked if Yin (Cobe) arrived at his retraction by himself or was told to back off, she replied 鈥渏ust ask him, I have no idea.鈥�
