Beijing artists’ high-profile struggles to keep their homes in the face of eviction made headlines worldwide. But far from being an open-and-shut case of unnecessary brutality and coercion, the dispute is a tangled mess that touches on issues of land ownership, contract law and law enforcement.

About five years ago, Zhengyang Construction Engineering Corporation signed a 30-year leasing contract with Changdian Village, where Zhengyang is located. Such contracts are technically illegal under national law, meaning Zhengyang was always government land. The artists say they were not informed of this when they signed their long-term leasing agreements with ZCEC subsidiary Hansi Yizhou. Many spent tens of thousands of yuan on renovations. For Zhengyang’s residents, a November 26 notice to move out last year—within a mere eight days—came as a shock. When residents refused, their heat, electricity and water were turned off, and they were met with strong-arm tactics.

The artists retaliated with “Warm Winter” a series of public performances that were intended, as artist Wu Yuren put it, “to defend ourselves through art.” While receiving considerable local press, “Warm Winter” failed to gain traction with major American and British news outlets until the night of February 21, when 100-some men—allegedly hired by developers—descended upon parts of Zhengyang and indiscriminately attacked.

The next morning, about 20 artists marched down Chang’an Jie, shouting slogans and attracting the attention of the state-owned Global Times, followed by the The New York Times and The Guardian, among others. Police released three artists after holding them for 36 hours for demonstrating “without permission.” According to a source close to the situation, artists have sent a video documenting their plight to Zhongnanhai. What effects, if any, the video will have remains to be seen.