Four Chinese will be charged for wrecking Japanese cars in Shenzhen

Police have arrested at least four people accused of damaging privately owned Japanese cars in a big anti-Japanese demonstration in Shenzhen last month and say they will face prosecution.

The Yangcheng Evening News yesterday quoted Shenzhen police as saying the four suspects allegedly made trouble during the August 19 rally, and deliberately smashed the cars to encourage a boycott of Japanese products.

"The police understand the public's patriotism, and support the people voicing their views in a reasonable way," the police said. "But the police won't tolerate individuals who deliberately incite crowds to damage privately owned property. The public can't use patriotism as an excuse to violate the law."

The announcement appears to warn protestors against violence at future anti-Japanese demonstrations.

A widely circulated mobile phone text message calls for a big anti-Japanese rally in central Shenzhen tomorrow, two days before the 81st anniversary of the Mukden Incident, an event staged by Japan as a pretext for invading north China in 1931. "We ask all patriotic people to spend their valuable time joining this unprecedented and heartening campaign," the message said. "Please co-operate with anti-riot policemen at the scene and don't hurt innocent people."

Two years ago, hundreds of people carrying Chinese flags took to Shenzhen's streets on the September 18 anniversary of the Mukden, or Manchurian, Incident, to protest against Japan's claim of sovereignty over the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.