On the evening of June 27, 2026, a significant protest took place in Hefei, Anhui, where thousands of individuals blocked the road and confronted the police. (Video screenshot composite)
[People News] A large-scale public protest erupted in Hefei, the capital of Anhui Province, on June 27, in response to the government's plan to construct a garbage transfer station in a residential area. Thousands of residents gathered in the middle of the road to block traffic. In response, authorities deployed a substantial number of police to maintain order, resulting in confrontations and physical clashes between the two sides, with videos of the events going viral online. This protest has been characterized by observers as a 'rare victory for the people in recent years,' primarily due to the strong unity displayed by the public at the protest site, who bravely faced off against the police, while the authorities quickly retreated, marking a dramatic shift in the situation.
Numerous videos circulating on the overseas X platform reveal that near the north gate of Haotian Garden on the North Second Ring Road in Hefei, the local government's proposal to build a garbage transfer station sparked a strong backlash from residents. The public gathered in the middle of the road, chanting slogans to protest the authorities' unreasonable planning and the absence of prior consultation with the community.
The protest was sparked by an announcement from the Hefei Natural Resources and Planning Bureau regarding the "Public Notice on the Planning and Site Selection of the Comprehensive Sanitation Management Construction Project in Luyang District." According to the announcement, authorities plan to construct a garbage transfer station on the northwest side at the intersection of the North Second Ring Road and Banqiao River in Hefei, covering an area of up to 63 acres (approximately 4.2 hectares). The controversy centers on the fact that this is not just an ordinary small community garbage collection point, but a large-scale "comprehensive sanitation management transfer station." The proposed site is surrounded by established residential neighborhoods, with the nearest residential area located just a few hundred meters away. There are 20 residential communities nearby, housing around 100,000 residents, and within a one-kilometer radius, there are three elementary schools. Residents are concerned that such a large garbage transfer facility will lead to severe groundwater pollution, unpleasant odors, noise, and traffic safety risks due to large garbage trucks entering and exiting the area.
On the evening of June 27, protests against the garbage station erupted in Hefei, with local citizens disseminating an urgent notice among themselves.
On the evening of June 27, protests against the garbage station erupted in Hefei, with local citizens disseminating an urgent notice among themselves.
This garbage transfer station project is currently in the public notice period, which is set to end on July 2, 2026. Residents are strongly opposed to the project, arguing that it will cause significant pollution to the surrounding environment, pose health risks to residents, and negatively impact property values in the area.
On the night of June 27, more than a hundred residents from Haotian Garden and nearby communities began gathering near the 'North Gate of Haotian Garden on the North Second Ring Road.' As news spread through community groups, the number of protesters rapidly increased to hundreds, even thousands. With such a large crowd, the protesters surged onto Hefei's major traffic route—the North Second Ring Road—to block the road in protest, resulting in a complete traffic standstill in that area.
In response, authorities quickly dispatched a significant number of special police and riot police to the scene to 'maintain order' and attempt to disperse the crowd. Videos from the scene reveal that intense physical confrontations occurred between the two sides, with some individuals being pushed to the ground and others taken away. Among the protesters, someone shouted, 'The police are hitting people! The police are hitting people!' Nevertheless, the protesters stood their ground, waving their fists in the dark and collectively chanting 'Protest! Protest!' as they bravely confronted the police and blocked the road, creating a highly charged atmosphere.
As the number of protesters continued to rise and clashes intensified, leading to a chain reaction from the traffic paralysis, the authorities made an unusual concession late at night. Lu Yang District Chief Yang Binghong and Hefei Public Security Bureau Deputy Director Chen Fali made a rare joint appearance at the forefront of the protest, taking a megaphone to address the angry crowd directly. District Chief Yang Binghong publicly declared, 'I solemnly announce that the project you are concerned about has now been canceled. You can disperse now?' He urged the public to go home and rest, but many remained doubtful of his assurances, demanding that the authorities issue a formal notice, asking, 'When will the formal notice be issued?'
Following this, Chen Fali, the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, publicly assured the crowd that the plan would be officially canceled and urged the public to disperse calmly.
After receiving verbal commitments from two high-ranking officials, the tense atmosphere at the scene quickly dissolved, leading to loud cheers from the crowd, which then gradually dispersed, allowing traffic to return to normal.
Videos of the protests in Hefei ignited lively discussions among netizens on X, with many expressing their support: "Wow, the people of Hefei are amazing! So many of you, I respect you as passionate individuals."
"People only take to the streets when they are pushed to their limits."
"A single spark can ignite a prairie fire; the Communist Party's rule will crack under the repeated pressures from the people."
"A single spark can ignite a prairie fire; other regions will soon follow!"
"The Chinese people need to awaken; all power for the common people must be fought for through struggle. Never submit to the CCP, as it will only lead to self-destruction. Go, elected president of China!"
Despite the authorities conceding to the public on-site and resolving the incident swiftly, related protest videos, terms, and discussions on China's domestic internet (such as Weibo, WeChat, and Douyin) have been thoroughly blocked and cleared by the authorities, forcing netizens to rely on overseas social platforms for information.
Many commentators noted that the reason the Hefei authorities "yielded so quickly" this time was due to the heightened grassroots tensions in various regions recently, and the authorities were keen to prevent group incidents from escalating into cross-regional chain reactions. This successful example of "street protests --> causing impact --> official cancellation" could potentially serve as a precedent for people in other areas facing similar grievances against unwanted facilities in the current social climate. △
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