Two men meet in the woods of Mudanyuan. Photo: Yang Jie

By Yang Jie

Hundreds of gay men have been rounded up and taken away in an ongoing police operation at Mudanyuan in Haidian district.

About 20 police vehicles carrying four officers each including SWAT teams invaded the city's largest outdoor gay hangout Sunday night, according to a nearby news vendor. "The arrested were taken away in more than 10 police cars," she said.

Police hit the area again late last night, according to information breaking online at press time.

"You can't imagine how deeply over 200 of us were wounded by this experience," one of the arrested gay men told the Global Times Monday on condition of anonymity.

"I will never go to that place in the future and I don't want to talk about it either."

He refused to discuss details of his treatment by the police.

They were taken to the Huayuanlu police station, revealed an online post on a website popular with Mudanyuan visitors.

"They were required to show their identity cards, take a blood test, have their photo taken and leave their fingerprints," it read.

Some were allegedly released at midnight and told not to linger around.

The campaign was just part of the typical annual citywide public security inspection ahead of the National Day holiday, said Beijing Public Security Bureau spokesman Zi Xiangdong.

He did not elaborate what regulations had been violated by the seized men.

"They will be released if no problems are discovered," Zi said.

A similar raid by gun-wielding SWAT police took place two or three months ago at the same place as part of what authorities dubbed a "prostitution crackdown," said Guo Ziyang from the Working Group of Gay's Movement of Beijing, a grass-roots organization for gay rights.

"But I have never heard of an action like this involving such a large police force before," he said.

The area remained busy Monday afternoon: on a hill with dense thickets, men were flirting with each other, chatting or standing alone. Used condoms and paper towels were visible all around.

"I have to say it's a place in disarray," said a 35-year-old gay man who used to be a frequent visitor.

"People of different ages, qualities and with different ideas in mind all mix in this 'paradise.'"

Numbers could reach about 300 on peak weekend nights, he told the Global Times on condition of anonymity.

"Many people have sex here, including paid service," he said, although he himself went there hoping to find a stable long-term partner rather than casual sex.

"Never have sex here," he said, "as some people don't take protective measures when having fun."

Thieves like to prey on visitors, taking advantage of their victims' desire for anonymity, he warned.

"You will be robbed of precious belongings if you can't resist temptation," he said.

Complaints from nearby residents might also provoke the attention of authorities, it was suggested.

Police should target suspects cautiously, said China's leading scholar on homosexual study, to avoid hurting the innocent.

"Criminal incidents have indeed occurred among the gay community in different cities," said Zhang Beichuan, winner of the 2000 Barry & Martin Prize, "but such crackdowns don't really address the problem.

"The continuing existence of such places is inevitable."

Mudanyuan was one of the few choices for some gay men to have fun, Guo said, especially the poor or poorly-educated. It had gained popularity after crackdowns on Dongdan Park.

"Fundamentally speaking, it's the whole intolerant-to-gay environment that has lead to this."