Sanjiang Church demolition begins as protesters couldn’t protect church from government
Pictures are emerging on Twitter of bulldozers tearing down a Chinese mega church following weeks of protests and demonstrations by members of the congregation. The Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou, China has been embroiled in controversy for weeks.
Twitter photo of Sanjiang church being demolished
Wenzhou, known as “China’s Jerusalem”, is where the country’s largest Christian community resides. Earlier this month, thousands of Chinese Christians flocked to the church and stationed themselves in and outside of it when Party officials threatened to tear it down in what’s believed to be a campaign to curb the spread of Christianity.
Christianity Today notes that reports as to why Sanjiang Church in Wenzhou, China, was demolished are conflicting. While congregants accuse the government of launching an attack on Christian places of worship, others indicate the building was illegally erected.
The battle reportedly began over the removal of a cross and the protest ended after a couple of weeks. Officials not return and the protest appears to have failed.
twitter photo of Sanjiang church heap in China
Last week, Brent Fuller, president of China Source, a Hong Kong-Based nonprofit that collaborates with China-oriented churches, said that the congregation had built the church far larger than they had permission to build.
Initial negotiations led to an agreement that the church would remove two levels of the annex, but The Telegraph reports that the entire building has been “reduced to rubble.”
Officials are now battling over who’s to blame over the church’s construction in the first place, as well as the delayed demolition.
According to Christianity Today, the right to freedom of religious belief is guaranteed under Article 36 of the Chinese Constitution, that protection is limited to those who worship within state-sanctioned religious bodies. Those who choose to practice their faith outside of these, or whose beliefs are not officially recognized by the Chinese Government, are at risk of being accused of participating in illegal activities, which carries heavy punishment.
According to pictures and posts relayed from the site today, it appears that this is the case, although it’s unclear how much of the structure is actually being bulldozed.
Seems demolition of Wenzhou’s Sanjiang church may have started today. RT @milpitas95035 Start demolish,Chai! Chai! pic.twitter.com/1GNhCZ5znJ
— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) April 28, 2014
Notice plastered this evening bans “all religious activities” at #Sanjiang Church. Pic provided by man at church. pic.twitter.com/5HejWQrhzm
— Vanessa Piao 朴寧子 박녕자 (@VanessaPiao) April 10, 2014
From reports we are getting demolition of #Sanjiang church in Zhejiang involves heavy army & police presence. All roads blocked.
— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) April 28, 2014
Worshipers at #Sanjiang church in #Zhejiang have come under huge pressure from authorities not to speak out in recent weeks
— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) April 28, 2014
RT @tomphillipsin More pics of today’s #Sanjiang church demolition via @mondanite pic.twitter.com/FdVQLBW3VS
— Natalie T (@natalieinchina) April 28, 2014
[Image via @TomPhillipsin]
