Attacks on police rooted in surging rights awareness?
(Chinadaily.com.cn/Reuters)
Updated: 2005-09-28 16:40

Twenty-three Chinese policemen were killed in acts of violence in the first half of this year and nearly 2,000 were injured, Beijing Youth Daily reported on Wednesday, adding that such attacks were on the rise.

Xi'an Police Bureau is seen in this undated photo. The northwestern city has seen at least eight attacks on cops since May. [xawb.com]

A statement by the Public Security Ministry, quoted by the Beijing Youth Daily, pinned the blame on a growing awareness of people's rights.

A ministry spokesman said the 23 deaths and 1,803 attacks causing injuries had happened when police encountered violent obstacles in carrying out their duty, the daily said.

"Recently, policemen getting attacked has become more frequent around China, and the trend is on the rise," it quoted the spokesman as saying.

"The rapid growth of people's awareness of their own rights has caused them to resist publice management and led them to threaten and mob police," he added.

"Inappropriate execution of the law" was also to blame for the upward trend in violence against police in some cases, the spokesman said, but added that nevertheless the police should be shown respect from all walks of life.

Northwestern China's Shaanxi Province has seen at least eight assaults on police officers since May. Altogether 14 policemen have been injured while on duty, dealing with civil disputes and traffic violations, according to the Shaanxi Provincial Public Security Bureau.

Experts on law say current laws are not sufficient to protect police. Assaulting police officers is not listed as a crime under China's Criminal Law, which only serves as a guide for meting out punishment for other defined crimes.

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