We were contacted by a Chinese citizen resident in the UK, who told us of his personal struggle with the local government’s forced eviction from his parents’ house to build new hi-rises.

This is my personal story. I am currently trapped with my parents (aged 64, 65) in their apartment in Hangzhou. We are desperately trying to prevent the building from being demolished by the authorities who want to build new hi-rises on the land. Each day brings new torment. At the moment we have no water – it has been cut off. We have no means of cooking or using the lavatory. We are under siege…

China’s now world-famous landgrabs against its citizens shows that the government has no intention of using more reasonable efforts, or even to agree to negotiate decently, humanely and peacefully.

All citizens know that every square centimetre of land in our country is owned by the state. We, the people, own nothing. We are granted leases up to a maximum of 70 years. At any time, the state can decide to destroy everything you have worked for – your home.

In this latest abuse, middle-class families in the tourist hotspot Hangzhou have suffered water and gas supplies turned off, streets barricaded with tons of hardcore rubble (preventing emergency vehicle access, with potentially fatal consequences) and the usual hardman government thuggery.

At any minute, demolition work will start on my building, although many families are still inside protecting themselves and their possessions as best they can.I decided to visit my parents (I am a permanent UK resident, where I work) as the dutiful only child. When I reached my home village of Nan Men, Xiaoshan district (Hangzhou) I was faced with this terrifying situation.

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With less than two months’ notice, residents were told to vacate their homes, to enable the local government to make a huge financial profit by redeveloping the site. Most villagers accepted compensation to avoid any problems down the line.

Those remaining cannot accept the offer. They are being offered a fraction of the cost of finding a new property to purchase.

The siege has now lasted for 30 days. Residents have called the police, but of course they have refused to help us in any way.We know there is no way other than to capitulate under force. The government is unstoppable. But people in China do protest. We do resist. We do fight back against injustice. But we know we can never win.”

22/06/2018 UPDATE: We have been contacted again by a friend, and he told us “the house was partly destroyed, they were beaten, his father had a heart attack. They live in restless fear expecting the forces to come back every moment. Fear not only for their belongings, but for their lifes.”

Email address: [email protected]

25/06/2018 Update:

On 21st June 2018 after I published my story on chinaunderground, the local authority in china took down part of our home, hit us and illegally kept us in the house for more than 2 hours. I saw they slapped my father and kept my mother in a separate place where I do not know. I will highlight what has happened to us on 21st June 2018.

At about 10:55am, I was sitting in the house, suddenly the electricity was cut off, I sensed something went wrong. I called my mother immediately, she asked me to check the wire near the gate. I opened the gate and saw many tall men who were climbing over into the house from outside. I was so scared. I rushed back into the house, locked the door immediately. Then I called mother:” there are so many tall men climbing into the house, they are coming to catch me. Please come back quickly and save me!!!” She then called my father. They were both rushing back;

At the same time, I was running upto the 2nd floor (my room) and locked myself into the room, then I hided myself into a wardrobe. I called 110 the police in China (equivalent to 999), reported to them by saying: many tall men have broken into my house and trying to catch me, please come to save me ASAP. BUT SHE REFUSED!

After 5 mins , I heard many men broke into the gate and rushing upstairs, eventually they broke into my room and found me hidden in the wardrobe ;

About 5 men took my two phones and glasses immediately and put me onto the bed . Twisted my arms towards my back. I saw one of the men had a long knife showing in front of me deliberately.

Then I heard big machines around my house , then I heard my father were shouting and crying on the ground floor. I tried to escape but could not. Eventually they took me to the ground floor . And I saw my father was slapping by one of those men in white. My father was flat on the floor and pushed by another 6 – 7 men.

Very lound noice from the big machines which were destroying the building opposite of our home which is the kitchen.My father were desperately crying and shouting : please save my dogs. The dogs and cats were in the yard, please save them.

By the time I still don’t know where is my mother. My both arms were still twisted by two men in black.

They destroyed all the storage rooms in the yard and our kitchen. They gave back our phones and everything on the phones were erased;

Eventually my mother came back and said she was speared from us by another 5 men, her phone was taken by them at the beginning and gave back to her at the end. They were threatening her all the time and she was kept in black room about 200 meters away from home.

We called 110 (the police) more than 10 times but they still refused to come to help us by saying it’s the action from the local authority. Eventually we acknowledged them that you were breaking the law by refusing sending the police when we were in danger. After 5 hours, they came however instead of helping, the police said:” you know what you are doing, do not against the local authority.”

We found some of the dogs and cats hidden in the yard which were covered by the many things from the destroyed building, other dogs and cats were killed;

The local authority sent people to overlook us 24 hours. They set up the cctv in front of our home. They might come anytime again to destroy the main building or even kill us. However if we leave the building , we don’t have enough money to buy or rent a place, also as soon as we leave the building , the local authority will destroy it immediately;

No relatives or friends wants to help us as they were scared by that local authority. We were extremely isolated now!

I am now running an online fundraising campaign. The below is the link of the campaign.