A Ho Chi Minh City Bible school that has often been the target of police activity in recent years was attacked and destroyed for the seventh time on Wednesday, Nov. 12 by hired thugs accompanied by the police. The thugs used hammers and metal cutters to destroy doors, walls, and furniture. Police then raided the college and arrested nine Christians who did not have proper paperwork — documents that had been confiscated by police in earlier raids. The Bible school leader, Pastor Nguyen Hong Quang, said this was the seventh attack on the college since June 2014.
On the Nov. 12 attack, hired men along with scantily-clad prostitutes gathered outside the school and begin shouting and screaming in the streets. Witnesses saw police filming the events just as the mob began damaging the school property. The thugs broke doors and gates that were broken three days earlier and had just been repaired that day. Police then arrested nine people inside, including Pastor Quang’s son and two Mennonite pastors.
The nine Christians were taken to the local police station. After being interrogated for two hours, all nine were released but were charged for not having ID cards or temporary residence papers. These documents were confiscated in earlier raids and never returned, according to church leaders. Without these documents, all nine will face further police harassment and complications with employment and school registration.
The Ho Chi Minh Bible college trains young Christians, mostly from minority tribal groups and has been the subject of frequent attacks. After large scale attacks in June, the water and electricity for the school were cut off, and in October, all roads to the school were barricaded.
READ MORE, including a timeline of past persecution of Pastor Quang, at www.Persecution.com.
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