In recent days, illegal forced demolitions have occurred in Changping and Dongcheng districts of Beijing, where authorities deployed large numbers of police and security personnel to forcibly enter residential properties for demolition, only to be met with vigorous resistance from residents.
In one incident, an elderly man climbed onto the roof with an axe to block the demolition, but he was outnumbered. Similar forced demolition events have also taken place in the Longtan Road and Shuang Yu South Street areas of Dongcheng district.
On June 30, a residential complex in Changping district of Beijing experienced a forced demolition. Before the court had determined any violations of building regulations, a large number of unidentified individuals forcibly entered residential homes to carry out demolitions, resulting in severe damage to property. As the situation escalated, residents spontaneously resisted, with one man being pulled by five or six security personnel in uniforms, while an elderly woman who tried to intervene was pushed aside.
According to information from WeChat Moments and overseas social media, on June 30 in Dongxiaokou Town, Changping district of Beijing, residents reported that their homes were forcibly broken into and demolished by unidentified individuals wearing plain clothes, without any court ruling or formal notification from the government about the demolition.
Multiple videos from the scene show that during the demolition operation, furniture, appliances, and daily necessities inside the homes were severely damaged during the process, with no apparent rain protection or preventive measures in place.
A delivery man in Dongxiaokou named Mr. Ma (pseudonym) told reporters that since last year, so-called illegal constructions have been dismantled in the area and most houses have already been demolished, with the current clearance targeting the so-called “nail households” who refuse to relocate.
He said, “That day it was raining, and the demolition team tore off the roof, causing water to pour in. The sofa got soaked, the bed got soaked, and the appliances were all ruined. The homeowners had no place to reason with them.” He mentioned that the demolition team did not show any legal documents, only claiming that there were instructions from above.
On July 1, a more intense standoff erupted at the scene. An elderly resident, in an effort to protect his home, stood on the roof with an axe facing off against the demolition team. Videos of the incident circulated online, sparking widespread reposts and discussions. The videos show two cranes being used to demolish buildings, while a large number of uniformed individuals restrained two men, leading to physical clashes between the two sides.
Legal researcher An Ping (pseudonym) told the Epoch Times that according to the Administrative Enforcement Law and Urban and Rural Planning Law, a demolition action must be supported by an administrative decision and confirmed by the court for enforcement. Without due process, any form of “temporary decision” is illegal. He stated, “These actions of demolition without due process and forced demolition in the rain seriously violate procedural justice, constituting administrative violations and even encroachments on property rights.”
In the early hours of July 8, another forced demolition standoff occurred in the area of Longtan Road and Shuang Yu South Street in Dongcheng district of Beijing. A blogger claimed that police, neighborhood committees, fire brigade, and urban management staff arrived in the early morning attempting to demolish a house suspected of violating construction regulations. Family members of the residents sat on the ground to protest, and the residents refused to open the door, leading to difficulties in carrying out the demolition. It was reported that the household had been relocated to Changping in 2007 and later returned to their old residence.
Several online observers pointed out that the Urban Villa incident has sparked heated discussions, partly due to the lack of legal basis for the demolitions and partly due to the fact that people are suffering tangible losses during the rainy season without any means of recourse. The image of the “elder with an axe defending his home” has become a symbol of the ordinary Chinese people’s struggle for their rights, reflecting the helplessness and anger of grassroots individuals under the system without judicial protection.
As of now, the Changping district government, Dongxiaokou Town government, and the district court have not publicly responded to the Urban Villa incident. Reporters have made several attempts to reach the Changping district government hotline but have been unsuccessful.