Chinese student arrested in Philippines for throwing pudding at policeman

A Chinese student is facing assault charges and possible deportation from the Philippines after throwing a pudding at a police officer.

Filipino news network Philstar.com reports that the alleged incident occurred after Zhang Jiale, a fashion design student at the region’s SoFA Design Institute, was stopped by officer William Cristobal at the entrance of a metro station in Manila on Saturday.

Cristobal told the 23-year-old that she would have to finish the cup of taho, a tofu-based dessert, that she was carrying before entering the station, from which such snacks and drinks are banned.

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According to Chinese news site Shanghai.ist, Zhang “threw a tantrum and chucked the cup of taho at his chest”, leading to her arrest on charges of “direct assault”, “disobedience to agent or person in authority”, and “unjust vexation”.

Her mugshot and CCTV footage of the incident quickly went viral.

Cristobal told local channel UNTV that he had felt “belittled” after having the pudding thrown at him. He has since been awarded the prestigious Medalya ng Papuri medel by Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde, who said the officer had demonstrated exemplary behaviour during the run-in.

Zhang posted the equivalent of £179 bail but was detained again shortly after by the country’s Bureau of Immigration (BI) on a separate charge of violating immigration laws. She is now being held in detention in the Philippines capital.

Speaking from jail this week, Zhang expressed remorse, explaining that she had been in a “bad mood” when she threw her snack.

“I’m really, really sorry. I really ask if it’s possible to have another chance,” she said.

A BI spokesperson said: “Zhang has already been charged as an undesirable alien for posing a risk to public interest. The incident showed her disrespect towards persons of authority, which in turn shows her disrespect to the country.”

But Zhang’s representatives say her detention is illegal, with lawyer Sandra Respall claiming that “she was literally abducted”.