Emeute à 利川 Lichuan (湖北 Hubei) – 7 juin 2011

Protesters clash with police in China

AFP

10 06 2011

BEIJING — Two officials have been detained in central China after 1,500 protesters clashed with riot squads following the alleged death in police custody of a local legislator, state press said Saturday.

Two high level officials implicated in the June 4 death of Ran Jianxin, 49, — who had opposed a local government land grab — have been taken into police custody in Lichuan city, Hubei province, the Global Times said.

Ran’s death prompted more than 1,500 people to gather in front of government offices on Thursday, throwing bottles and objects at police and breaking down the gate to the compound, the government said in a statement posted Friday on its website.

« In order to prevent the situation from deteriorating, public security organs quickly adopted measures in accordance with the law to appropriately handle this mass incident, » the statement said in language usually used to refer to the use of force.

Photos of the unrest posted online showed police beating and scuffling with protesters while a large riot squad dressed in military helmets and fatigues lined up inside the gates of the government compound.

China sees thousands of protests and other public disturbances each year, often linked to anger over official corruption, government abuses and the illegal seizure of land for development. Read more…

Riot in China city after official dies in custody

Associated Press

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN , 06.11.11,

BEIJING — Residents say paramilitary police are patrolling the streets of a central Chinese city following a riot there over the death of city councilman while in police custody.

Authorities have suspended a deputy Communist Party chief of Lichuan in an apparent effort to calm the anger caused by the June 4 death of local people’s congress deputy Ran Jianxin.

While Ran’s death remains officially under investigation, relatives say he was beaten to death and have circulated photos on the Internet purporting to show bruises covering his body. Read more…