Clashes between Muslims and Chinese police over mosque construction
BEIJING, China – Hundreds of Muslims have reportedly clashed with Chinese police in the southwestern province of Yunan to protest the demolition of a mosque’s dome.
Videos on social media showed a scuffle breaking out between police and locals outside the 13th-century Najiaying Mosque in the city of Nagu on Saturday.
According to media reports, local Muslims had expanded the historic mosque and added a new domed roof.
However, authorities cited a 2020 court ruling and ordered the expanded portion be removed.
Dozens of police in riot gear beat back a crowd pushing toward the gate of the Najiaying mosque.
Footage also showed police threatening residents who had staged a sit-in outside the mosque gate.
Dozens of armed police officers in camouflage arrived on Sunday, another video showed.
According to the BBC, police in Tonghai district, where Nagu is located, issued a statement Sunday calling on protesters to surrender to police by June 6.
So far, dozens have been detained.
Yunnan is home to about 700,000 of China’s roughly 10 million Hui Muslims.
The Hui are one of 56 ethnic groups recognized by Beijing and are predominantly Sunni Muslims.
In 2018, the region also experienced tensions over the construction of mosques.
Authorities later relented but insisted that the mosques should not have domes and be built according to local architecture.
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