Cops beat up disabled buskers

Beijing - Up to 1 000 people rioted in southern China's Guangxi region after security guards beat up a group of disabled musicians in front of a shocked public, officials and media reports said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in Qinzhou city late on Saturday when crowds gathered in anger after guards apparently set upon four buskers who were violating local regulations on performing in public places.

"The security guards did not beat anyone, one of the handicapped musicians started it when he used his chair to hit a security guard on the head," a city government official surnamed Zhang said.

"Then a crowd of some 200 people increased to over 1 000 people, but only some 300 were actively participating in the riot," added Zhang, who works for the city construction team, the group of security guards involved.

Refused to leave the scene

"The crowd did not understand the circumstances of the incident. Ordinary people naturally have some compassion for handicapped people, so that is why the incident occurred."

According to Radio Free Asia, the confrontation began after a disabled musician was pushed to the ground when he tried to prevent the security guards from taking photographs of the scene.

The dispute escalated after the guards beat the buskers, hospitalising two them, with the crowd attacking the vehicle of the security team. They refused to leave the scene for hours, the radio said.

Zhang confirmed that two of the disabled men were hospitalised as were two security guards, one with a severe skull laceration and a concussion.

"Afterwards the police were called in to control the situation and avoid any long-term consequences," Zhang said.

Social unrest has become commonplace across China. Rapid economic reforms have bypassed hundreds of millions, leaving a dramatically widening gap between rich and poor.

In recent incidents of unrest tempers have flared rapidly into violence, with anger over official corruption and financial worries simmering below the surface.

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