Watch: Woman Helps Elderly Man Cross Road In China, Gets Slapped Instead

A woman in China was unexpectedly slapped by an elderly man she was helping cross a busy road, according to South China Morning Post. The incident occurred in Lanzhou, Gansu province, on the evening of September 12 and was caught on camera by a driver behind her car. The elderly man, aged between 70 and 80, was seen struggling with heavy bags and walking outside a pedestrian crossing, with cars narrowly avoiding him.

Moved by concern, the woman stepped out from her car's passenger seat, supported the man with one arm, and used her other hand to signal traffic to pass. To her shock, the man suddenly slapped her, causing her glasses to fall off. The video shows her calmly retrieving her glasses and returning to the car, as per the SCMP.

The incident was reported to police, who later located the man and instructed him to apologise. The video has since gone viral on Chinese social media platforms, sparking debates about kindness and public behaviour.

"We should all comfort this woman. I feel how sad she must be from being slapped by a person she is helping," one internet user said.

Another person said, "The old man's slap will make those in need of help not able to receive timely aid any more."

"The old man should be detained and made to pay the woman compensation," said a third.

However, another online observer took a different view: "Perhaps the old man thought the woman was a bad guy as she suddenly approached him, without telling him what she was doing."