Qian Hanpe, a Chinese government official, threatened to beat journalists that were trying to ask him questions regarding a southern village protesting the arrest of its chief.
Hanpei, a deputy chief at Donghai Town which governs Wukan village in southern Guangdong province, shoved reporters cameras, and raised his umbrella at them in a threatening manner. What are you doing? I wont play nice, Qian shouted, adding I am telling you not to report.
He also scoffed at a Cable TV journalist who said he would call the police if Hanpei hits his cameraman colleague. Why would I be scared of you calling the police? he said. This comes after thousands marched with flags in support of their arrested chief Lin Zuluan on 19 June.
The village was the scene of an uprising in 2011, when people barricaded the area from security forces for several months, to demand justice over corruption and land grabs.
This gathered international media attention helping to persuade the provincial Communist Party leaders to sack the former village chief and allow elections. A group of protest leaders won this election, but many have since been removed from office.
On 20 June, the former deputy on the village committee, Zhang Shuijin, told journalists that he had been appointed as the new chief to replace Lin. He stood on stage and asked villagers to cease protesting, but the crowd said he had betrayed their interests by signing a petition in support of their ousted former chief, according to Cable TV.
Lin was arrested for abusing his position to take bribes, according to an open letter posted by the government late on 17 June, but there were no other details.
