China: Workers looking for shortcut damage Great Wall, arrested
Authorities in northern China arrested two persons for allegedly causing "irreversible" damage to a section of the Great Wall of China with an excavator, CNN reported. The suspects, a 38-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman from Shanxi province, reportedly dug through the wall to create a shortcut for their nearby construction work, compromising the integrity and safety of the ancient structure. The police arrested the duo after receiving reports about the damage on August 24, and further investigation is underway.
Suspects endanger ancient structure
According to the police, the suspects widened an existing opening in the Great Wall into a bigger gap large enough for their excavator to pass through in order to "save the distance of travel," BBC reported. The damaged section dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is known as the 32nd Great Wall, featuring a well-preserved watchtower. It is also a provincial cultural relic.
Great Wall's preservation struggles continue
The Great Wall of China, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, has steadily deteriorated due to human activities as well as natural factors. In 2016, a Global Times report revealed that only up to 10% of the Ming-era wall had been preserved properly. Meanwhile, in Shanxi province, widespread stealing of bricks during the 1970s damaged the structure. Local residents reportedly used these bricks for constructing their homes and other structures.
Authorities ramp up protection against vandalism
In recent years, China reportedly increased the Great Wall's protection and cracked down on acts of vandalism, too. In 2021, three tourists were detained and fined for defacing the wall's well-known Badaling section with a sharp object. Later that year, two foreign visitors were banned from the wall after trespassing onto an undeveloped part of the Mutianyu section. The recent damage in Shanxi province highlights the importance of protecting cultural relics and national symbols like the Great Wall of China.
