Christian pastor stands trial over cross removals

A Christian pastor who questioned authorities in eastern China over the forced removal of rooftop crosses went on trial yesterday in Zhejiang province.
Huang Yizi was charged in the city of Pingyang with gathering crowds to disrupt the social order, lawyer Zhang Kai said. If convicted, Huang could face up to seven years in jail.
A woman who answered the court’s phone and gave only her family name, Li, confirmed that the trial began yesterday afternoon. It’s unclear how long it will last.
Authorities in Zhejiang tore down about 400 rooftop crosses last year in a campaign against building-code violations, but religious rights advocates say the Christian faith was being targeted because its rapid growth in China unnerves the ruling Communist Party.
Huang, an outspoken pastor, brought some parishioners to a local government building last summer to demand answers about a clash in which police attacked congregation members who had been keeping a night vigil over their cross atop their sanctuary. Police took him away after that incident.
He also had urged local church leaders to put back the toppled crosses.
Zhang said before the trial that Huang would plead innocent. Noting that he was surrounded by police, he declined to elaborate. AP