Step away from a group fight; do not join, linger or pick up weapons, and call 110 from safety if reporting
Physical involvement can turn an attempt to separate people into participation. Under Chinese law, active participation in an affray can carry up to 3 years, with 3–10 years for specified aggravated circumstances such as weapons or major public disorder. Spectators can also be injured. Move away; if calling 110, give location, numbers involved, weapons and whether anyone is motionless on the ground.
What it takes
Free. Resist intervening physically or watching. A reporting follow-up and statement may take up to half a day.
What you may gain
Criminal Law Article 292 gives ringleaders and other active affray participants up to 3 years, criminal detention or public surveillance. Repeated affrays, large-scale serious social impact, major disorder in public places or transport routes, and weapons can bring 3–10 years. Serious injury or death is prosecuted as intentional injury or homicide. China's public-security law gives assault 5–10 days' detention plus RMB 500–1,000; group fighting under the disorderly-provocation provision can reach 15 days plus RMB 2,000. The 2020 self-defense guidance, Article 5, includes defense of oneself, others and national/public interests. Article 9 generally recognizes defense where the aggressor's initial violence is clearly excessive or continues despite the other's attempts to avoid conflict.
Context & considerations
Grade B: statutory consequences are clear, while retreating/reporting rather than physically separating people is the author's inference from participation and self-defense rules. “I was mediating” does not determine how your actions are classified. Pursuing an opponent already down or fleeing is not ongoing defense. You may lawfully defend someone under one-sided attack, but untrained physical intervention can add a casualty; calling for help, recording from safety and reporting may be more useful. The author treats the time spent calling as chiefly benefiting the victim and leaves that choice to the reader, while noting the existing duty to testify under Article 62. Police can identify witnesses from surveillance even if they did not call; lingering makes identification more likely. Article 111 requires confidentiality for a reporter who does not want their name disclosed. You can provide location, numbers and weapons without remaining at the scene. Admonition or up to 10 days' detention under Article 193 concerns unjustified refusal after a court summons to testify, uncommon for passersby. The source states that ordinary failure to report has no standalone penalty despite Article 110's rights-and-duties language. After departure, do not hide offenders or fabricate exculpatory proof: Article 310 provides up to 3 years or 3–10 in serious cases. Deliberate false testimony under Article 305 carries up to 3 years or 3–7 when serious. The source distinguishes silence or truth from fabrication. See personal conflict, robbery and rescue-related injury costs.
Research & references
National People's Congress of China (1997). Criminal Law, Articles 232, 234, 292, 305 and 310. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/201802/t20180206_364975.shtml; NPC Standing Committee (2025). Public Security Administration Punishments Law, 2025 revision, Articles 30 and 51. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202506/t20250627_699863.shtml; Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate and Ministry of Public Security (2020). Guiding Opinion on Lawful Application of Self-Defense, [2020] No. 31, paragraphs 5 and 9. https://www.court.gov.cn/zixun/xiangqing/251611.html; National People's Congress of China (2018). Criminal Procedure Law, 2018 revision, Articles 62, 110, 111 and 193. Ningxia Procuratorate reprint: https://www.nx.jcy.gov.cn/zwsy/qwfb/202011/t20201119_608817.html