The Chinese Communist Party is at it again in their crackdown of Christians in the country as dozens of its police raid a Christian music school in Heilongjiang province on Sept. 4.

The Christian Post reported that the CCP authorities took away for investigation dozens of teachers and students on top of arresting the principal of the Maizi Christian Music High School located in Harbin City. The school is said to be raided for its dedication to cultivate Christian musicians to students aged 18 years old and below.

The raid involved SWAT officers, religious affairs bureau officials, police officers, and school district administrators totaling 30 in all. While the total of students arrested by the said officials were 100. The staff who were arrested were released after being interrogated for 24 hours. School property such as documents, computers, and pianos were also confiscated by the government officials during the raid.

The school's principal, named Xu, was arrested on his way to drop off his child in school. The police officers escorted Xu to the police station and returned the child to his mother at home. Surprisingly, the whereabouts of Xu was unknown while teachers were being interrogated by the government officials. Xu might also be charged with "illegal" education "under financial crime" for demanding a tuition fee of $2,631 per student on top of being charged with "enticing minors to religion."

According to International Christian Concern (ICC), Xu has been raided twice in his home prior to the raid in his school. The ICC explained that the raids are conducted by the government when a school is unauthorized to operate. It also disclosed that Xu told teachers a day before the raid that his landlord was called by police officers who warned them to be ready for "the trial."

"Little did they know that "the trial" await them the next day," the ICC said pertaining to the raid.

The prior raids prompted Xu's mobile phone to be tapped by friends so that he can be traced in the event he'll be arrested again. However, Xu's friend surnamed Jin told Epoch Times that they were still unsuccessful in determining his whereabouts.

"Principal Xu has had his home raided twice six months ago. His phone has always been tapped. Despite our best efforts to learn about his whereabouts, we have received no news," Jin said.

In line with this, the school has published a letter last September 6 requesting for prayers for Xu who has been unreachable for more than 60 hours. The letter contained five other prayer requests in line with the raid.

Specifically, ChinaAid said the prayer requests are:

  • "Pray for Principal Xu's and his family's safety. It's been more than 60 hours, but there's still no news about him."
  • "Pray for the safety of all the teachers."
  • "Pray the school retains a good lawyer."
  • "Pray CCP authorities will return the school's possessions."
  • "Pray the Holy Spirit comforts, strengthens, and helps the students be strong and courageous; that He helps them live for God."
  • "Pray that Maizi Christian Music High School can reopen at a proper location in the near future.

Jin also divulged that the raid on the Maizi Christian Music High School have caused some Christian churches to be in a frantic search of a lawyer. He cited the Early Rain Covenant Church as one highly targeted by the CCP "to scare off other churches," which is proving to be effective. The CCP, he added, are also "extra sensitive about Christian schools."

"Now the Christians from a few churches here are scrambling to find a lawyer for them," Jin stressed.