MCLC: Maoming environmental protest

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Wang, Zhuoyi <zwang at hamilton.edu>
Subject: Maoming environmental protest
********************************************************

Source: BBC News (4/2/14):
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-26849814

China Maoming environmental protest violence condemned

Authorities have condemned an environmental protest in southern China
that turned violent, calling it "serious criminal behaviour".

Residents in Maoming, Guangdong province, on Sunday protested against
the construction of a petrochemical plant that manufactures
paraxylene.

Violence broke out, with reports of several injured protesters. On
Tuesday, the protests spread to Guangzhou.

Protests are rare in China, where it is illegal to protest without a
permit.

Hundreds of Maoming residents marched on the streets on Sunday,
protesting against the proposed plant. Some protesters said turnout
was more than 1,000.

Clashes with police broke out, with reports of tear gas being fired at
protesters. Photos and videos posted on Chinese social media appeared
to show injured protesters, police chasing demonstrators with batons,
and burning cars.

Smaller protests appeared to continue, spreading to Guangzhou, the
provincial capital, on Tuesday.

'Chaos'

A Maoming Daily article, carried on the Maoming government website,
said: "On [Sunday] afternoon, a small number of protesters disrupted
traffic, before gradually dispersing.

Riot police were deployed as crowds took to the streets protesting
against the proposed plant.

Here, a protester holds a sign saying "opposed PX, return my clean land"
Demonstrations continued into the early hours of Tuesday

"But after 22:30, a small group of trouble-makers on motorcycles threw
stones and water bottles, damaging public facilities."

The Maoming government has called the unauthorised protest "a serious
offence" and urged residents to "trust the government and not give
illegal elements the opportunity to cause chaos".

Officials later said that no timetable had been given for the plant's
construction, and that the authorities would not proceed without
consulting the public.

The government said no one was killed in the protests, but did not say
if any were injured.

Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, said:
"Accounts and photographs suggest that police may have used
disproportionate force against demonstrators in Maoming. Authorities
should move swiftly to investigate these claims, and hold those
responsible to account."

Paraxylene (PX) is used in plastic bottles and polyesters. However,
many in China have expressed health concerns over PX plants.

Environmental protests are growing in number in China, and once again,
fuelled by the power of the internet, one such protest has caught the
authorities by surprise, the BBC's John Sudworth in Shanghai reports.

In recent years paraxylene has become a focus of environmental protest
in China, forcing the delay or cancellation of plants in other cities
much to the dismay of the national government, our correspondent adds.