Beijing, May 11: Over 300 panic-stricken residents rioted against construction of a SARS Observation Centre in north China's Tianjin city as several violent protests were reported across the country prompting the government to warn those involved of "severe punishment". Stating for the first time that rioting and blocking of roads had been occurring in places like Tianjin and Chafiagang city, the official Xinhua news agency said "severe punishment" would be meted out to the perpetrators of such incidents who attempted to "defeat" the government's efforts to combat SARS.
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has so far killed 235 people in china and infected over 5,000 others.
Over 300 local residents gathered at the medical unit construction site in Hongqiao province and used telephone poles and bricks to block the road leading to the medical unit on Tuesday and Wednesday to prevent construction activity.
They also forced the driver of a truck loaded with building materials to dump the materials on the road causing a traffic jam.
Three persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. "Police are in hot pursuit of the individuals who beat medical staff and destroyed treatment facilities in response to alleged delayed treatment in a hospital in Hedong district, leading to the death of a family member Tuesday night," the report said.
Bureau Report