People News

Christian Bale met with force in China

By Eleanor Harley Dec 16, 2011, 16:00 GMT

02/27/2011 - Christian Bale - 83rd Annual Academy Awards - Press Room - Kodak Theatre - Hollywood, CA, USA © Andrew Evans / PR Photos

Batman star Christian Bale was manhandled when he tried to visit human rights activist Chen Ghuangcheng whilst in China for the premiere of his new film ‘The Flowers of War.’

Bale asked the CNN crew to go with him after he read that guards stationed outside Chen’s house were forcibly stopping anyone from seeing him.

CNN recorded the scene and the released footage on the CNN website shows how Bale and his crew were mistreated.

On trying to enter the village where Ghuangcheng is under house arrest, Bale was refused entry by plain clothed guards. 

 “I am here to see Chen Guangcheng,” Bale told the guards. They retaliated by shouting “Go away,” and started to push Bale and the CNN crew away from the house. More guards emerged from behind the checkpoint and after a physical altercation, Bale and the crew retreated.

After an eight hour car journey to meet the blind self-taught lawyer, Bale said "What I really wanted to do was to meet the man, shake his hand and say what an inspiration he is."

Ghuangcheng was arrested for allegedly disrupting traffic and damaging property during a protest. He was protesting against forced late-term abortions and other population control measures. He was sentenced to more than four years. The activist was released in September last year but remains under house arrest.

Bale said “I'm not brave doing this.” The 37-year-old Hollywood actor continued “The local people who are standing up to the authorities, who are visiting Chen and his family and getting beaten or detained, I want to support them.”

‘The Flowers of War’ is set in 1937 during Japan’s invasion of China. Bale plays the role of a Westerner who finds refuge in a church and attempts to rescue the women from a terrible fate.

The film will get a limited US release late December.