China police arrest 30 for anti-government protests

Beijing: At least 30 people were arrested in China for taking part in a riot that saw thousands attacking official buildings and burning cars to protest the government's confiscation of land, an official said on Thursday.

Residents of Wudu in poverty-stricken Longnan, where 1.8 million people were made homeless by the massive May earthquake, took to the streets on Monday because they were unhappy with a resettlement scheme.

Police violence, including attacks on children, provoked initially peaceful protesters, a local resident said.

"The police used sticks to beat petitioners on Monday night, injuring dozens of people, including children," said one Longnan resident who asked not to be named for fear of punishment.

"They also used tear gas to disperse people gathering in front of government's building. Then the angry people started to fight back and burn police vehicles."

Some 71 policemen and three journalists from the local television station were injured in the violence, the official Xinhua news agency quoted local Communist Party chief Li Xuechun telling a news conference.

He said over 2,000 people had joined in two days of protests, although local residents put the figure far higher. Damages were estimated at around 5 million yuan ($731,900).

After decades of solid economic growth, China is battling an unknown as falling demand for its products triggers factory closures, sparks protests and raises fears of popular unrest.

Police were still stationed around government buildings early on Thursday, checking every passerby, locals said, and many blog postings related to the riot have been deleted.