Drifters detained for graffiti on monuments in Hangzhou

Two men were detained during the seven-day National Day holiday for writing graffiti on famous historical and cultural sites in the West Lake scenic area, according to local police.

Ping Wentao, from Handan, Hebei province, had been a vagrant wandering around Hangzhou, sleeping on the streets and in the gardens at night, police said.

On the morning of Oct 1, sanitation workers found that Ping had written seven red Chinese characters, including his name, on a famous stone stele in a favorite photo-taking site beside the West Lake.