The father of a Chinese woman who splashed ink on a poster of Xi Jinping was taken away by police on Wednesday.

His daughter, Dong Yaoqiong, was sent to Hunan’s Zhuzhou No. 3 Hospital – a psychiatric hospital – after she live-streamed a video on July 4 of her protest against the Chinese president’s “tyranny.”

Her father Dong Jianbiao was trying to visit his daughter at the hospital on Wednesday, alongside two lawyers. But he was soon taken away by plain clothes police.

Wen Donghai (left) and Dong Jianbiao (centre). Photo: Twitter.

Wen Donghai, one of the human rights lawyers who accompanied Dong, told Radio Free Asia that the police accused Dong of harming public security by creating an explosion.

Wen said that a person named Feng Yong from the hospital demanded proof of the father-daughter relationship – which they had already provided. Feng claimed Wen had no power to represent Dong Jianbiao.

Wen said he had the relevant licence to represent Dong, but they were still barred from visiting his daughter.

Wen said Feng called the police, accusing Wen of insulting him. Wen was the brought to a police station to make a statement over the matter.

A day before Dong Jianbiao was taken away, he said in a statement that he did not believe his daughter had any form of mental illness.

“I wish to visit my daughter,” he wrote. “I wish to view her medical records in their entirety.”

“Even if there is a medical condition needing treatment, I do not give my consent for my daughter to be treated at the Zhuzhou No. 3 Hospital,” he wrote. “I want to take my daughter home.”