Chinese villagers fighting against land grabs slam police detention of inspirational chief 'an act of thuggery'
Wukan residents, in Guangdong, whose struggles made global headlines in 2011, in new stand-off with 400 police as Lin Zuluan held on suspicion of corruption
The arrest by Chinese police of the chief of a remote fishing village – which captured headlines around the world in 2011 when it challenged the government over illegal land grabs – has been condemned by residents as a “thuggish” attempt by officials to halt a mass protest against continuing abuses.
Prosecutors in Lufeng city in Guangdong province, who sent in the police to detain Lin Zuluan, 70, the party secretary of Wukan village, just after midnight on Saturday, said in a statement that he was being held on suspicion of taking bribes.
However, Yang Zhen, 68, Lin’s wife – who was pushed to the ground after chasing 10 officers, who arrested him by forcing their way into the couple’s home as they slept – has condemned his arrest, saying: “I don’t believe he would take any bribe.
“Lin was directly elected as village party secretary [in 2011] and in the five years since then has refused any payment for doing the job.
I don’t believe he would take any bribe ... He has even subsidised the running of the village committee himself