A man in Xi’an used an excavator to demolish a government office, and no one stopped him. Internet estimates: 80% of the time that was the default.

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On the 9th, a rare incident of vandalism occurred at the Fengdong New Town Government Service Center in Xixian New District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. A man drove an excavator into the building, demolished the gate, door head and outer wall, and crushed the stairs to the square. At least six building structures were damaged. It is understood that someone took photographs inside the institute building but no one stopped him. Later the police reached the spot and controlled the person. No one was hurt in the incident. News circulating on the Internet revealed that the man took the drastic action because the government owed project payments or demolition compensation, and long-term efforts were futile. However, the official motive for the crime has not been announced yet.

According to widespread media reports, the Xixian New District Public Security Bureau issued a police report on the evening of the 9th. At about 11 a.m. that day, a 47-year-old man surnamed Hu used construction machinery to damage the Government Affairs Center building. After receiving the information, the police reached the spot to control him. The matter is under investigation, and criminal punitive action has been taken against the individual.

The incident occurred in Building 1 of Fengdong New City Government Service Center. The excavator damaged not only the front door and stairs, but also the rear of the building and, to varying degrees, the facades and supporting components of other buildings in the park. Eyewitnesses said that the entire process lasted for about an hour. The excavator driver once blocked others from approaching, and the center’s employees were evacuated in case of emergency. A cordon was later set up at the scene, and police vehicles and police forces were deployed to investigate and collect evidence. The Government Affairs Center temporarily suspended business operations, and some windows resumed operations at about 3 p.m. That day. Officials said the situation had returned to normal by afternoon.

There are many theories circulating on the internet as to why the man committed the crime. Sources said the person involved had previously posted a message on social platforms asking for help, and was suspected of expressing his dissatisfaction due to the delay in project payments. Other local residents said the incident may involve demolition compensation and transitional resettlement fees owed to villagers by the government.

A man surnamed Hu, claiming to be a local resident, revealed that the demolition of Fengdong New Town began about 10 years ago. Some villagers still have not gone back, and the issues of housing and transition fees have not been resolved for a long time. He claimed that the local debt involved could exceed 3 billion yuan (about US$450 million). Some families have been living in rented houses for many years and have to bear the expenses of elders and children, which puts huge financial pressure on them. However, the relevant outstanding figures and statements have not been officially confirmed.

A resident surnamed Hu also said that the person involved was suspected to be a local villager. He failed to recover the money for a long time and eventually started digging to destroy the government center building. He believes that this incident shows that some demolished residents have long been facing resettlement and compensation problems, and their life pressure is unbearable.

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The video of the incident became a topic of heated discussion after it circulated on the internet. Many netizens were concerned about the local government’s arrears in project payments and demolition compensation. Some also questioned why people’s demands for long-term rights protection have still not been resolved. At this time, police have not announced the specific dispute between the man and the Government Affairs Center, nor have they confirmed the amount owed and the reason for the crime reported online. The matter still needs further investigation.