Thousands of rioters attack police in China!

BEIJING, China - November 20, 2008 – Thousands of rioters used axes, chains, stones and iron bars to attack police, smash local government offices and set fire to cars after a protest in western China went out of control. 

Local residents said the confrontation in the township of Wudu was triggered by redevelopment plans and the abuse of funds set aside for reconstruction after the major earthquake in May.

But it has reinforced government fears that social instability is likely to pose an increasing threat to the government as China's boom is hit by the worldwide economic crisis.

Provinces around the country are reporting a surge in strikes, alongside other stand-offs as laid-off factory workers protest over unpaid wages.

The clashes in Wudu, a part of the city of Longnan in the poor province of Gansu, began on Monday. Longnan is not far from the border with Sichuan, the heart of the earthquake zone.

Residents living in temporary shelters after their homes had been demolished to make way for a government development project were joined by thousands of others.

They had been promised the new development would improve local living standards, but that was thrown into doubt when it was confirmed the local government was itself relocating elsewhere.

By Tuesday, crowds had grown to 2,000 according to state media, and several times that according to witnesses, who said a fire engine sent to put out fires started by the protesters was itself hijacked.

Hand-to-hand fighting followed as police used tear gas to try to disperse the crowds.

Videos posted on YouTube and other websites showed residents of all ages hurling stones at lines of riot police.

In a sign of increasing government preparedness for such incidents, the local government posted a statement on its website, saying at least 60 people, including police and officials, had been injured.

The statement said that 70 per cent of the windows in the government headquarters building had been smashed, and 11 cars set on fire.

On Tuesday night, armed police were brought in to impose a curfew and block off streets. A local official told The Telegraph the streets were calm on Wednesday after police dispersed protesters.

The local government claimed the original protesters had been "incited and used by a few people who have ulterior motives".

But one witness said in an online description of events, "After the earthquake, supplies and money sent for disaster relief hardly reached the afflicted people. They were pocketed by the county leaders and the village leaders at all levels."

Another witness claimed that the violence had begun after protest leaders were invited into the government building to make their case but were beaten by police.

Local authorities refused to comment when contacted by The Telegraph, but a statement by the provincial Communist Party chief, Lu Hao, suggested that he was aware of discontent over the use of earthquake relief funds.

"The rebuilding task in districts which were damaged by the May 12 quake is extremely urgent," he said. "The central government has already approved the reconstruction plan."