Man drives excavator into Chinese government building over alleged unpaid villagers' compensation

Videos circulating on social media showed an excavator tearing down the building’s entrance and damaging parts of its exterior.

A man drove an excavator into a Chinese government building, demolishing entrances and damaging several buildings amid an alleged dispute over unpaid villagers’ compensation.

No injuries were reported in the incident, police said. (Instagram/@ghassan_awwad)

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the incident took place on Monday afternoon at a government administrative service centre in Fengdong New City, in China’s northwestern Shaanxi province. Videos circulating on social media showed an excavator tearing down the building’s entrance and damaging parts of its exterior.

Police reportedly said they had detained a 47-year-old man, identified by his surname Hu, for damaging a government building. Authorities, however, have not officially confirmed the motive behind the incident.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, the man allegedly damaged the building over a dispute involving unpaid compensation to villagers. The matter remains under investigation.

Staff evacuated from building

The BBC reported that staff inside the government affairs centre were urgently evacuated as the excavator damaged the building. No injuries were reported in the incident, police said.

The videos shared online showed the machinery smashing through the entrance and causing damage to the building’s facade. Several parts of the facility were reportedly damaged during the incident.

The government administrative service building resumed normal operations a few hours after the incident, according to SCMP.

Police have not disclosed further details about the suspect or the circumstances that led to the incident. The alleged compensation dispute has also not been officially confirmed by authorities.