Then, as one witness murmurs in disbelief, the violent intent becomes clear. With their buckets held high like the horns of battling beetles, the two machines repeatedly slam into each other. Another joins the fray, toppling one of the first combatants. Yet another arrives, trying to right its fallen comrade. And then even more arrive to do battle.
Some participants in the Sunday street battle in Xingtang County, in the Hebei provincial capital of Shijiazhuang, carried knives and pellet guns, according to one report. But the most surprising weapon was the construction equipment. At least two people filmed the clash with cellphones, and the video was widely viewed on Chinese websites on Monday.