The authorities in a historic Chinese city have apologised for breaking into a shop to turn on the lights during the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Advertisement
Officials in Datong apologised after footage of Monday night’s incident circulated online that showed firecrews and other uniformed personnel breaking into the shop, which had failed to follow a decree that businesses in the ancient city should keep the lights on at night to create a festive atmosphere.
Once inside, they switched on the lights and then secured the door with a U-lock before leaving.
The footage sparked widespread public criticism and the Pingcheng district’s street office issued an apology hours after a commentary in a party newspaper said the action was illegal.
The office admitted that it had used “improper” methods and blamed the incident on “poor communication and misunderstandings”.
Advertisement
“In essence, it reflects our impatience for quick results, a crude and heavy-handed approach, and a lack of service awareness in our work, leading to serious misjudgment and a significant negative impact on the city’s image,” it said.