On October 29, 2025, a large-scale protest broke out in the Jinyu Daguan Mansion community in Baohe District, Hefei, Anhui Province. Hundreds of protesters gathered to voice their dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to relocate a large hardware market near the residential area. They held demonstrations and marches to protest the move. Police deployed a large number of officers and vehicles to disperse the protesters, leading to conflicts and several residents being arrested.
On the evening of October 28, hundreds of residents gathered outside the Jinyu Daguan Mansion community in Baohe District, Hefei. They expressed concerns over the government’s plan to move the large hardware market near the residential area, fearing it would disrupt the living environment. The residents took to the streets to protest. The community committee alerted the authorities, leading to the dispatch of over a hundred special police officers in vehicles to the scene to disperse the crowd. Videos from the scene showed residents loudly protesting the decision.
One eyewitness stated that the police accused them of illegal assembly, but the residents had repeatedly raised concerns to the local authorities. The hardware market operating in a residential area has led to increased traffic and concerns about safety. Residents reported that several people were taken away that night. “We are defending our rights legitimately, what are you arresting people for? If the issue is not addressed, we will not stop protesting.”
Footage posted on overseas social media platforms like YouTube and X Platform showed a standoff between the police and residents. Police officers set up a cordon, and emotions were running high among the crowd. Some homeowners were reportedly forcibly taken away, and a woman could be heard shouting, “You can’t arrest us all, there are too many of us for you to arrest.”
Subsequently, special police officers lined up on the street, while another group of officers pushed a woman to the ground before carrying her into a police vehicle with the help of others. Meanwhile, protesters raised their phones to record the scene, shouting, “The police are arresting people.” The police, with superior numbers, dispersed the crowd. Multiple videos showed disruptions in the surrounding traffic, with some citizens asked to delete footage they had recorded.
Many netizens commented that the community is located east of Baohe Avenue in Hefei, and residents have long opposed setting up hardware and building materials markets near residential areas due to concerns about noise and pollution. Some posts indicated that the relocation decision was led by the district government, but the specific plan has not been made public.
As of now, neither the Hefei Municipal Government nor the Baohe District Government has issued any official statements. The mainstream media has not reported on the incident. When reporters contacted the Baohe District Public Security Bureau Command Center, the police responder stated that the situation was being handled but refused to provide reasons for the arrests before hanging up.
Public records show that Baohe District in Hefei is a major residential and commercial mixed-use area, and in recent years, several market relocations have sparked community controversies. Since 2023, residents have also raised collective petitions regarding environmental and transportation issues. As of noon on the 29th, there has been no official response to the incident.
Some analysts pointed out that the gathering of residents reflects the escalating conflicts in urban development between communities and commercial planning. Netizens commented that “residents have the right to express themselves, and the government should engage in open communication.” Others mentioned that “making arrests at night will only escalate the conflict.”
In recent years, collective rights protection incidents involving residents have been occurring across China. From Jiangsu, Guangdong to Sichuan, residents have been gathering to address concerns related to environmental issues, demolitions, and market redevelopments. Local governments often resort to “maintaining stability” measures, and in some areas, there have been cases of arrests and information suppression. Observers point out that conflicts between urban renewal and livelihood issues are becoming increasingly common amid economic downturns, with collective actions by residents becoming a new focus of urban governance.