On December 22, in Yue Lu District, Changsha City, a conflict erupted at the Meixi Lake “Heneng Lipu” Community when the property management there prohibited food delivery riders from entering the compound to deliver food. This led to hundreds of riders gathering nearby to protest, which lasted until late into the night. Three riders were arrested by the police.
According to a bystander at the scene at 12:46 am, the protest was ongoing and there were many people gathered.
The bystander revealed that the incident was sparked because the community did not allow riders to enter on their bikes to deliver food, insisting they walk in instead. The property management personnel also used unpleasant language, and the security guards of the compound allegedly lay in front of the riders’ vehicles claiming to have been hit by them. The riders demanded an apology from the property management, which they refused to provide. Not only did the homeowners not stand up for the riders, but they also supported the property management’s decision to restrict their access to the compound.
As news of the incident spread, it led to a massive gathering of food delivery staff protesting. The bystander stated, “Many riders arrived, too many to count, in groups of hundreds, protesting from noon until midnight.”
A video provided by the bystander showed the riders gathered on the street with a large number of police present, and many onlookers surrounding the area, creating a chaotic scene.
According to travel writer Li Ying’s video posted on X platform, after midnight, the police cut off the streetlights and building lights nearby and forcibly dispersed the gathered food delivery riders and onlookers. The video displayed numerous people hurriedly fleeing the scene.
On December 23, a food delivery rider born after 2000 who was present at the scene informed reporters that most of those who went to protest that day were in their twenties. Due to the harsh words from the property management personnel, they protested to demand an apology. Over a hundred police officers arrived but initially just stood by without taking any action, leading the riders to become agitated. “Some even wore ‘crowns’ and ‘robes,’ symbolizing rebellion.”
It was past one o’clock in the morning when the police began forcibly evacuating the area and arrested three riders. The rider mentioned, “We all left, and three people were taken away, those who left the scene later.” He expressed, “If they don’t offer a reasonable solution, we will come back every day.” However, “The police have sealed off the roads.”
The rider also stated, “We have dug up information on the homeowners’ group, and many suggest filing complaints against the food delivery staff at Meixi Lake Business District.” Although the platform always supports customers, “Today, we collectively complained to the platform, got them blacklisted, and now people can’t order food delivery in that area until the property management apologizes.”
He added that food delivery work is currently difficult, with very few orders, earning only around 200 to 340 RMB a day, totaling around 4,000 RMB a month. “Yesterday, some riders also took the opportunity to release some pent-up emotions.”
According to the footage provided by the interviewee, the incident took place at the “Heneng Lipu” Community in Meixi Lake, Changsha. Public information shows that the development of this community was done by Hunan Yongjin Heneng Real Estate Development Co., Ltd., and was completed and delivered for use in September 2016.
Located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Yingri Road and Kanyun Road in Meixi Lake, Yue Lu District, the community is adjacent to Changjun Meixi Lake Middle School, with a total of approximately 2,630 households. The property services are managed by Changsha Golden Key Property Management Co., Ltd.