Surveillance footage of men assaulting two women in the northeastern Chinese city of Tangshan on Friday unleashed a flood of outrage on local social media websites, prompting calls for punishment and renewing a debate on women’s rights.

Video obtained by Reuters showed a man approaching a woman at a table in a barbecue restaurant and touching her, before striking her after she pushed him away.

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The ensuing brawl sees a gang of men brutally attacking several women. Local police said two women had sustained injuries that were not life-threatening and were being treated in hospital. All nine suspects involved in the case were arrested, according to the Tangshan Public Security Bureau in a Weibo post.

The assault featured on Weibo’s most discussed topics, with state television calling for the suspects to be severely punished in a brief online commentary.