Mix-up prompts Hunan residents to attack police officers

The mob mistakenly believed a motorcyclist had been run over by an official

A group of angry Hunan residents, who mistakenly thought traffic police ran over a man while chasing him for fines, attacked the officers, threw stones and set fire to a police post, state media reported.

Political commentators said the incident, like many others, was triggered by growing despondency about what people perceive as unchecked police powers. This mounting anger sometimes erupted into extreme actions and hooliganism, they said.

On Saturday, motorcyclist Gu Rongzhong, who was driving without a licence, was intercepted by a traffic policeman in Hengyang, the Xiaoxiang Morning Post reported. He tried to escape and accidentally ran into a parked car, belonging to a police official.

Mr Gu suffered a broken leg and the accident quickly drew a crowd. Some people mistakenly suggested Mr Gu had been run over by the police official's car.

When two more officers arrived in a van, the crowd surrounded the vehicle and several people began hitting the officers.

Two 16-year-old students reportedly climbed on to the van's roof, pulled off a flashing light and smashed it. They and others later overturned the vehicle.