Thousands of migrants workers rioted in Zengcheng, a suburb of Guangzhou, after a clash between a pregnant couple and the local police. Rioters are reported to have laid siege to government buildings, setting fires and overturning cars. Despite government assurances to the contrary, China Digital Times reports that the riot has not been quelled.

Whether the riots continue or not is perhaps less interesting than the government's rhetorical handling of the event which sparked them. The China Daily (one of the many puppet news organizations of the Chinese Communist Party) reports only vaguely on the inspiration for this riot. It mentions that Wang Lianmei, one of the migrant workers involved in the initial clash with police was pregnant and that she “fell to the ground during the clash.” While they are very careful to quote the Mayor, Ye Niuping, that “Wang and her fetus remained intact in the clash after a thorough examination in hospital, and no death or injuries have been reported in this case” they do not explain how she fell.

China Daily also reports that the initial gathering of onlookers “gathered at the scene to prevent...More >>