Chinese National Arrested For Violating Court Order To Stay Away From Mar-A-Lago

A Chinese national, Zijie Li, is being held without bond in Florida after police say he violated a court order requiring him to stay away from President-elect Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The 39-year-old, who resides in Los Angeles on a student visa, was arrested Thursday after arriving at the estate’s entrance in an Uber.

Li had just been released from a mental hospital, where he had been detained in October following a prior incident near Mar-a-Lago. He now faces two misdemeanor trespassing charges, marking the latest in a series of incidents involving him and the estate since July.

Police reports indicate Li first attempted to access Mar-a-Lago in July, claiming to have information linking China to an attempted assassination of Trump at a Pennsylvania rally. He was turned away by Secret Service agents and ordered not to return. Days later, he was arrested for trespassing after attempting to enter the property twice more.

Last week, Li approached a homeowner near Mar-a-Lago, asking if she could take him inside the estate. The homeowner, who had a Trump campaign sign in her yard, called police, leading to Li’s temporary detention in a mental facility. Despite the court’s restrictions, Li returned to Mar-a-Lago shortly after his release and was arrested again.

Mar-a-Lago has been the site of numerous security breaches, including several involving Chinese nationals. In 2019, Yujing Zhang entered the estate with electronic devices, prompting concerns about espionage. Zhang was convicted of trespassing and deported. Another Chinese national, Jing Lu, was detained that same year for trespassing and taking photos but was acquitted of those charges.

The Palm Beach County Public Defender’s Office, which represents Li, has declined to comment on the case. His arrest adds to the growing list of intrusions at the estate, which has been a focal point of Trump’s activities and security concerns.

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