The government of the city’s Liwan district said in a statement that the workers had picked locks to enter 84 units in an apartment complex. They had been searching for residents they believed were hiding to avoid being sent to quarantine centres.
Photos on social media showed broken locks in front of apartment doors, and the government said the locks were later replaced. It added that the head of the neighbourhood had apologised to the residents individually and had promised unspecified compensation. Guangzhou has reported fewer than 10 locally transmitted cases over the past week. On Wednesday , China reported 906 new locally transmitted cases, mostly in the northwestern province of Gansu and the southern region of Guangxi.
Would-be protesters have said the health codes on their phones were changed to keep them from moving freely, and in many cities across China, residents’ doors have been sealed shut to prevent them from leaving during lockdowns.