Local authorities in northern China have reported the detention of two individuals following accusations that they used an excavator to damage a section of the Great Wall.
According to a statement released by the local authorities, a 38-year-old man and two women, aged 55, are suspected of tunneling through the Great Wall in Shanxi province to shorten their commute to nearby construction work. The statement alleges that, to ‘reduce the distance of travel,’ they widened an existing opening in the old structure, creating a substantial gap large enough for their excavator to pass through. According to the police, this excavation caused irreversible harm to that part of the wall’s structural integrity and safety.
On August 24, in response to reports of the damage, police in Yuyou County detained the two offenders. The statement also mentions that the case is currently under thorough investigation. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the Great Wall served as a vital northern defense for numerous Chinese emperors. Spanning almost 20,000 kilometers (12,427 miles) in its entirety, its origins date back over two thousand years, with further expansions carried out during various ancient Chinese dynasties. The section of the wall where the damage occurred belongs to the 32nd Great Wall constructed during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and is included in the list of provincial cultural relics, boasting a relatively well-preserved watchtower.
In recent years, the Great Wall has received enhanced protection, and Chinese officials have imposed severe penalties for any damage. In 2021, three tourists were arrested and fined for using a sharp tool to vandalize the renowned Badaling segment of the wall. Similarly, later that year, two Western visitors were banned from visiting the Great Wall by Chinese authorities due to their entry into an undeveloped area of the Mutianyu section.
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