China Orders 70 Men to Demolish Another Christian Church (Video)

Another church in China was demolished on Tuesday, this time by 70 police officers under orders of the Communist Party. Along with the building, altars, benches, and liturgical furnishings were also destroyed.

The officials said that under a new zoning plan, Liangwang Catholic Church was no longer allowed to stand, Asia News reported, even though the building belonged to the community and had been registered since 2006.

The church demolition was reportedly necessary to accommodate plans to build residential housing and a railway station.

Members of the congregation took photos and video of the demolished church, showing both how the church used to look, and the rubble that was left afterward.

Chinese Christian Fellowship of Righteousness, a group that exposes Christian persecution in China, also posted photos of the rubble on its Facebook page.

Initially 40 people entered the chapel on Tuesday, driving out three church caretakers and seizing their cell phones in the process. Another 30 people later arrived with bulldozers and pickaxes to demolish the church.

International Christian Concern also reported on the incident, noting that the Chinese government has destroyed a number of churches in recent times with the explanation that it needs the land for urban zoning or commercial purposes.

Read more about China Orders 70 Men to Demolish Another Christian Church (Video) on The Christian Post.