Chinese protest plans for factory

Thousands of people took to the streets of a southern Chinese town to protest plans to build a chemical plant there, citing health concerns, residents said Tuesday.

The demonstrations, which began Friday in Dongshan County in southern Fujian province, turned violent on the first day after police in riot gear clashed with the protesters, said a witness who refused to give his name for fear of reprisal.

“It was chaos,” said a student, describing at least 50 policemen wielding batons who pushed and beat the protesters, who threw rocks in return.

He said at least 20 people were arrested, including a friend, who later told him the group was taken to a police station and forced to sign false confessions.

On Monday, the government sent military police armed with guns to patrol the area, but the protests, though smaller, continued Tuesday, said another resident who also refused to give his name.

Witnesses electronically sent more than two dozen photos and a video showing thousands of people marching down a main street.

The demonstrations started after residents heard that a paraxylene factory would be built there after it was the target of protests at the original planned site in Xiamen city, about 60 miles north.

Paraxylene is used in the production of plastics, polyester and film. Short-term exposure can cause eye, nose and throat irritation in humans, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic exposure can affect the central nervous system and may cause death.

The communist government has become more sensitive to pollution complaints after numerous accidents in recent years polluted rivers and disrupted water supplies to major cities.