Tear gas fired at protesters in Chinese town

Hours after the police action,state-run Shantou Television station carried interviews with two detained protesters,a man surnamed Li and a woman surnamed Yung. Sitting behind bars with their heads bowed and handcuffs in full view,the two took turns to confess. It was wrong to surround the government and block the highway, Li said,with his eyes lowered. I do not know the law. If I knew,I will not block the expressway. If I could have understood this,I wouldnt have been so brash, Yung said. Shantou Television also lined up Chinese legal experts and quoted them saying that such actions carried a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

Protests in China have become relatively common over issues such as corruption,pollution,wages,and land grabs.