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One year ago, VICE reported on Eastern Lightning, a quasi-Christian cult in China with violent teachings and a mandate to defeat "the Great Red Dragon" (read: the Communist Party of China). In late May, Zhang Lidong, a member of Eastern Lightning, beat a woman to death in a McDonald's in eastern China, prompting national outrage as the cell-phone video of the incident went viral. Within days, Zhang, along with four other members of the cult who were present at the beating, were apprehended by Chinese law enforcement. Zhang was put in front of a camera so he could confess his crimes, even though he went on delirious rants about his victim being a "demon and evil spirit." His trial, however, did not commence until August 21.
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