China: police forces and heavy machinery surround church building

Worldwide 09 Jan 2026 Print Email

Special police forces and heavy machinery have surrounded Yayang Church in Zhejiang province, raising fears the building could be damaged or its cross removed. Images shared online by Bob Fu of China Aid show scaffolding around the roof and cross, while security cordons have prevented filming and forced nearby residents to leave. The action follows a December crackdown in which around two hundred people linked to the church were arrested or dispersed without explanation, and two church leaders were detained as alleged suspects in a ‘criminal organisation’, without specific charges detailed. Observers say the incident reflects wider pressure on unregistered churches, which face surveillance and arrests across China. Communist Party officials view independent religious belief as a challenge to state control, and rights groups warn such actions are becoming increasingly common. Breaking news: Bob Fu has posted that ‘part of the church building Is being forcefully destroyed’.