2 people accused of damaging Great Wall of China with excavator

Two people are accused of using an excavator to damage a section of the Great Wall of China late last month, according to media reports.

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According to a social media post by the Shanxi Cultural Relics Bureau on Monday, a man whose last name was Zheng and a woman with a surname of Wang used the machinery to widen a gap in what is known as the 32nd Great Wall, China Daily reported.

The area, in Yangqianhe Township, was breached by the 38-year-old man and the 55-year-old woman, CNN reported, citing Youyu County authorities who spoke with state broadcaster CCTV. The wall, which was built during China’s imperial Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), was damaged beyond repair, according to China Daily.

The two suspects were contracted to work on a construction project near the wall, the news outlet reported. They allegedly admitted using the excavator to make it easier for them to pass through the wall.

Both have been charged with destroying a cultural relic, China Daily reported.

The 32nd Great Wall is listed as a cultural relic site, according to CNN. The Great Wall was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

According to UNESCO’s website, the Great Wall was continuously built from the third century B.C. through the 17th century and was used to defend the country from invasion. It’s length covers more than 12,400 miles.