I don't think it was vandalism, for the simple fact that the boards and debris were stacked in a very particulate way (or at least that's what I think). Not only would you have come out with dirtier hands in the sink, who knows if other than water, something else would have come out!
As I looked at the pictures I felt it was really uncomfortable moving around the building with all those obstacles on the floor.
The article says it's going to be demolished and then flats will be built. Why pull up all the floorboards? It makes little sense to me.