BEIJING — Ever since Ai Weiwei was slammed with a $2.4 million tax bill, donations have been flying over the wall of the provocative Chinese artist’s compound in northeastern Beijing.
His supporters have folded 100 yuan notes — the equivalent of $15.75 — into paper airplanes that glided into the compound. Other wrapped the money around pieces of fruit and hurled it over the wall. Or more traditionally Chinese, they stuffed it into red envelopes. Ai is also taking contributions through Paypal.
As of mid-afternoon Monday, Ai had received $833,000 in donations from 18,829 people, according to a Twitter posting by his assistant, Liu Yanping.
Chinese authorities are predictably unhappy about the outpouring of support and money. The Global Times, a Communist Party mouthpiece known for its fiery nationalist editorials, on Monday said the donations might violate the law.
“Since he’s borrowing from the public, it at least looks like illegal fundraising,” the newspaper said in a broad hint that more charges might be leveled against Ai. “It will not alter the matter of Ai’s tax evasion, something his followers don’t even question.”
The newspaper pointed out that Ai is one of China’s most successful artists and recently purchased an apartment in Berlin — a sign that he can probably afford to pay his own taxes.
The 54-year-old artist told The Associated Press on Monday that his donors were using their money to make a political statement.
“This shows that a group of people who want to express their views are using their money to cast their votes,” he said. “It shows that in the Internet age, society will have it own judgment and its own values.”
Ai was arrested April 3 at Beijing’s international airport and was held for 40 days without formal charges, provoking an outcry that he was victim of a political vendetta for his blistering criticism of the Chinese government.
Among the donors were Zhao Lianhai, who became an activist for food safety after his child was sickened drinking baby formula tainted with the additive melamine in 2008. Recognizing Ai’s efforts to publicize the plight of children killed by collapsing schools the devastating Sichuan province earthquake, a father sent in 512 yuan (about $80), marking the date of the earthquake: May 12, 2008.
Even more provocative was the tribute from Jason Ng, a well-known technology blogger. He sent in 89.64 yuan (about $14). Anybody in China would recognize the significance: June 4, 1989, was the date of the brutal crackdown on student demonstrators at Tiananmen Square.
“It’s not about the money,” wrote Ng on a microblogs. “I just don’t like the Communist Party! That’s it.”
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