Chinese law enforcement officials detained for allegedly beating villagers with batons during operation to demolish illegal buildings

Five law enforcement officers in southern China have been placed under criminal detention after a video circulated on social media allegedly showed them beating up villagers with batons, according to a news website report.

The five, all from a joint security defence team in a district in Haikou on Hainan island, were accused of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble”, Chinanews.com reported.

The officers were involved the demolition of what the authorities deemed as illegal construction work at a village near Haikou, the article said.

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Farmland was allegedly sold to outside developers, breaching regulations to protect farmland.

The detention of the officers came after the district governor, Huang Hongru, stepped down, the report said. Huang was in charge of the operation to demolish illegal structures at the site.

Two other deputy officers were also dismissed, the report said.

Clashes broke out on Saturday with some villagers severely beaten with batons as demolition crews, including urban management officials, tried to knock down the structures.