China sends 3,000 armed police to quell villagers’ riot in land dispute

(TibetanReview.net, Nov15, 2011) Thousands of villagers carrying clubs and rocks attacked an industrial park in south China’s Zhongshan city of Guangdong province, angered by reports that an official had sold their land without compensating them, reported Reuters Nov 13, citing police and media reports. The AFP Nov 13 cited police as saying the dispute had been simmering since August.  It cited the city police as saying on their Twitter-like weibo account that residents from Yilong Village stormed an industrial park in Xiaolan Town and “took part in attacking, smashing, looting and arson."

AFP cited Hong Kong-based Oriental Daily News as saying in a report that thousands of residents were involved in the riot, and that they “burnt two factory workshops to vent their anger… and local authorities dispatched 3,000 armed police.”

“Villagers threw petrol bombs and ignited gas cans to fight back,” the report was further quoted as saying, adding the dispute stemmed from anger over village leaders selling land for personal gain.

While the report was cited as saying three people had been beaten to death, Reuters and AFP cited the police in Zhongshan city, which oversees Yilong, as denying on their weibo account anyone had died, adding the situation had now been brought under control, with suspected organizer having been taken away.