BEIJING, January 24: Chinese police detained more than 20 people after “scores” of protesters blocked a major Beijing road in a rally against a power station being built for the Olympic Games, state press said Thursday.
The protest took place late Wednesday on the city’s fourth ring road, near the site of the August 2008 Games, the Beijing News said.
Law enforcement officials were immediately dispatched to the scene, with 24 police vehicles surrounding the protesters and police detaining more than 20 demonstrators, who were placed under investigation, the paper said.
Traffic along the road was blocked for only about 10 minutes, it added.
Residents who live next to the Olympic Village have for years opposed the construction of a high-voltage power plant next to their housing complex, the paper said.
Their most recent rally was on December 30, 2007, it said.
In recent protests, the demonstrators have said they are worried that the high-voltage power lines leading in and out of the power station could lead to diseases such as leukaemia for over 900 residents living nearby.
The powerlines and towers also clutter up the view and open spaces around their apartment blocks, they said.
Beijing is investing about 40 billion dollars to upgrade its infrastructure for the Games.
Public unrest over such issues is increasingly common throughout China but relatively rare in Beijing, the capital and seat of government authority.
