DOZENS of tear-gas rounds were fired at thousands of people who took to the streets of Panzhihua city, Sichuan, to protest against police inaction over a robbery, a human rights group said.
At least 10 protesters were arrested and 43 were injured on Friday in the clash in Panzhihua industrial town, the Hong Kong-based Information Centre of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China said.
Local residents said demonstrations continued yesterday morning.
Two thousand people gathered in the city centre on Friday evening to express their dissatisfaction at police for refusing to assist Liu Huawei, who was severely beaten by robbers, the group said.
The victim, a businessman from another province, had sought refuge in a traffic police station from three robbers.
But the duty officer refused to help and pushed him out of the station. He was attacked and suffered serious injuries, the centre said.
Angry citizens surrounded the station and threatened to beat up the duty officer, the centre said.