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From Monsters and Critics.com Asia-Pacific News Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao website on 20 May According to Ming Pao's special dispatch, a massive bloody clash occurred between the police and civilians at Licheng Garden in Changping Town, Dongguan, in Guangdong, at noon yesterday. Some 1,000 villagers gathered in front of the housing area and tried repeatedly to storm the compound. Changping sent in more than 300 public security personnel and armed police to stop the incident, during which some 30 people were injured, and a dozen or so people were arrested. It is learned that the incident was touched off by a clash between the housing security staff and passenger-carrying motorcycle drivers over a parking issue; several motorcycle drivers were injured, causing the villagers to seek revenge. Clash over motorcycles soliciting passengers It has been learned that Licheng Garden is a fairly well-known upscale residential area in Dongguan City, and the large numbers of residents have attracted many taxicabs and motorcycles to solicit passengers there. However, Licheng Garden's security authorities, on the ground that soliciting activities are affecting normal order in front of the housing compound, recently banned motorcycles from soliciting passengers. Both sides have clashed sporadically a few times over this issue. On the evening of 18 May, a dozen or so motorcycle drivers clashed with the security guards over the parking issue and got into a free-for-all fight in front of Licheng Garden. During the disturbance, motorcycle drivers and villagers stormed into the housing lobby, wantonly wrecking things and smashing appliances and glass in the room. On receiving a report, the police arrived at the scene to stop the incident; many motorcycle drivers were injured or arrested during the clash. Around 1200 hours yesterday [local time, 0400 gmt], nearly 1,000 villagers surrounded Licheng Garden and demanded that the security guards release their men, and that the housing management apologize in public. On receiving this report, Changping Public Security Subbureau dispatched 300 public security personnel, armed police, and riot police to the scene to handle the situation. The police and the civilians engaged in another bloody clash. During that incident, villagers and public security personnel were injured, and equipment in many places along the housing compound's perimeter was vandalized. The clash gradually came to an end after 1500 hours. Licheng Garden is also a housing area where many Hong Kong people live, but no Hong Kong residents were injured during this clash. Source: Ming Pao website, Hong Kong, in Chinese 20 May 05 BBC Mon AS1 AsPol km Copyright 2005 BBC Monitoring Service distributed by United Press International
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