Scuffles broke out between police and locals, who were surrounded by hundreds of armed men, according to the BBC
Published Date – Tue, 30 May 23 at 09:00pm
Photo: IANS
Singapore: Protesters clashed with heavy police forces over plans to demolish a mosque dome in a predominantly Muslim town in Yunnan, China, according to media reports.
On Saturday, social media videos showed crowds gathering outside the 13th-century Najaying mosque in Nagu town.
Melee broke out between police and locals, who were surrounded by hundreds of armed men, according to the BBC.
Yunnan is a multi-ethnic province in southern China with a large Muslim population.
In Nagu, the Najaying Mosque has always been an important landmark and has been expanded in recent years with a new domed roof, as well as a number of minarets.
However, a court decision in 2020 ruled that these additions were illegal and ordered their removal. The latest move to enforce the order appears to have sparked demonstrations, according to the BBC.
Video from Saturday’s protest showed long lines of police officers blocking access to the mosque, with a group trying to force their way in and throwing stones at officers.
Other footage showed police withdrawing as the crowd entered the Najaying mosque.
Police in Tonghai County, where Nagu lives, issued a statement on Sunday calling on protesters to surrender to police by June 6. Dozens of people have been arrested so far, according to the BBC.
“Whoever voluntarily surrenders and truthfully confesses the facts of a crime may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment,” the notice said.
Authorities called the incident a “serious hindrance to social management order” and urged others to “actively report” the protesters.
Protests in China have been relatively rare, but more have taken place since the pandemic, with severe lockdowns and movement restrictions sparking public outrage, according to the BBC.
