A prominent unregistered Protestant church in eastern China has been demolished by authorities, according to reports by China Aid from Wenzhou in Zhejiang province.

Yazhong Church in Wenzhou, sometimes known as Yayang Church, was torn down this week using heavy machinery after months of heightened restrictions on the site.

The demolition comes after a major police operation in December in which more than 100 church members were detained during early morning raids, according to reporting by China Aid. Authorities also took control of the building at the time.

Earlier this month, crews began dismantling the multi-storey structure, with the building reduced to rubble by the following day, sources said.

During the same period, several further arrests were reported, bringing the number of detained members to at least 22, while some have since been released on bail pending trial.

“My brothers and sisters in the faith have stood strong for so long,” Bob Fu, president of Texas-based nonprofit group China Aid, said. “More so than the loss of a church building, I lament how the CCP has cracked down on this area known for its faithful Christians and oppressed them more and more day by day.”

He added: “These recent actions show that the persecution of Christians by Chinese authorities has intensified, becoming more institutionalized and targeted.”

The church had reportedly faced pressure for months, including demands to display the Chinese national flag inside the sanctuary - a request congregants opposed. Tensions escalated further when part of an outer wall was demolished last year during enforcement actions by local officials.

Wenzhou, sometimes described as “China’s Jerusalem” due to its large Christian population, has seen increasing restrictions on unregistered religious groups, with only state-approved churches permitted to operate legally.

Authorities have not publicly commented on the demolition.