A central Chinese city is looking into allegations about an "AIDS demolition team," whose members reportedly claim to be AIDS patients and have threatened to infect residents who refuse to move out of their houses.
The government of Nanyang City in Henan Province confirmed the existence of the team, but said it was not hired by the local government.
A photo of red graffiti that said "AIDS demolition team" surfaced on Chinese social media, triggering public outcry. The graffiti reportedly appeared in a community slated for demolition under a government plan and was first posted on Weibo by media in Yunnan Province.
Residents said that they have been harassed by the gang since early December. Allegedly, one member showed the residents documentation of his AIDS diagnosis, and the gang has used threats of infection and other tricks to drive them out.
Some residents have left out of fear, one local said.
An official with the Nanyang government said a company in charge of the community's demolition has been closed and is being investigated.
It is not yet known whether the team really included AIDS patients or just used the disease as a threat. The province of Henan was once known for its large population of HIV carriers, many of whom were villagers infected through illegal blood sales.
News of the demolition team surfaced only days after 200 villagers in Sichuan Province signed a petition to banish an eight-year-old HIV-positive boy from the village, stirring up controversy about discrimination against those living with HIV/AIDS in some parts of China.
The boy's grandfather, who also signed the petition, later said they were too poor to raise the child and hoped he would be better treated outside the village, and that a journalist had taught them to use the petition to attract public attention.