The Liwan District government in Guangzhou, China issued an apology for committing break-ins on the homes of people who broke COVID-19 quarantine rules. The people had been taken to a quarantine hotel.
According to State media, authorities broke into 84 homes in the same apartment complex. They were looking to find any “close contacts” hiding inside and to disinfect the premises.
In its apology, the Liwan District government described the break-ins as “oversimplified and violent” behavior. According to the Global Times Newspaper, an investigation has been launched and “relevant people” will be punished.
While the apology comes from a small, local government within China, governments throughout the country have engaged in similar acts since lockdowns began. There have been numerous cases of police and health workers breaking into homes documented on social media. In some cases, authorities have welded iron bars over doors to force quarantine compliance.
China’s leadership has maintained its zero-COVID policy despite the mounting economic costs and disruption to the lives of citizens, who continue to be subjected to routine testing and quarantines, even while the rest of the world has opened up to living with the disease. The apology for the quarantine break-ins came as multiple cities in China were set to step up their COVID-19 testing and extend lockdowns.
China’s leaders exert stringent control over the government, police and levers of social control. The strict COVID-19 measures have tested the tolerance of residents, particularly in Shanghai, where a ruthless and often chaotic lockdown spurred protests online and in person among those unable to access food, health care and basic necessities.
Authorities in Beijing have taken a gentler approach, concerned with prompting unrest in the capital ahead of a key party congress later this year. Party leader Xi Jinping is expected to receive a third five-year term amid radically slower economic growth and high unemployment among college graduates and migrant workers.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
