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Ai Weiwei's tax bill

7 November 2011

Thousands of people have donated money to Chinese artist Ai Weiwei to help him pay a tax bill of $2.4 million. Many, including the artist himself, believe he's been served with the bill because of his outspoken criticism of the government rather than his financial affairs.

Reporter

Michael Bristow

Ai Weiwei

Artist and architect Ai Weiwei.

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Nearly 20,000 people have donated. They've used bank transfers, sent postal orders or simply handed over cash in person. Some have folded money into paper planes and flown them over the wall of the artist's Beijing compound.

Ai Weiwei says the campaign to help him isn't just about the money. He says it's an expression of people's feelings about the way he's been treated.

The authorities accuse him of tax evasion and want him to pay $2.4 million. But many believe this is just a cover to punish a fierce government critic.

Officials, they say, don't like his dogged pursuit of controversial issues.

Ai Weiwei says he hasn't decided whether to pay the tax bill. If he does, and uses this donated money, there could still be problems. One newspaper suggested it amounted to illegal fundraising.

More evidence, his supporters might say, that the authorities are simply trying to get at the artist any way they can.

Michael Bristow, BBC News