Houston's Chinese Consulate is no more following Friday deadline eviction
HOUSTON - Many of those outside the Chinese Consulate on Friday said they are glad the embassy is gone.
"Now this neighbor who destroyed everything is evicted I think it's time," said Sammy Wong.
"I'm happy that they are gone that they are getting kicked out," said Pauline Dunglinson.
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Consulate employees were told they had to be out by Friday afternoon at 4.
There were no federal officials at the consulate building in the 3400 block of Montrose on Friday making statements but from outward appearances, the eviction went off without incident.
Houston Police Department blocked the streets surrounding the building.
What appeared to be officials with the state department could be seen going and coming from the building for hours after the eviction deadline passed.
On Tuesday night, employees of the Chinese Consulate were seen burning documents in the building's courtyard.
MORE: Fire at Chinese Consulate in Houston due to classified documents being burned ahead of eviction
On Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo gave the reason for the Trump administration's decision to evict the Chinese Consulate which had Ben a staple in Houston since 1979.
"Just this week we announced the closure of the Chinese Consulate in Houston because it was a hub of spying and intellectual property theft," Pompeo said.
While the Chinese Consulate is history, the impact of the decision is yet to be known.
China has already booted one of the U.S. Embassies from its country, and there's a lot of concern about the impact this could have on Houston's economy.