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| Wukan protests: Police raid homes to arrest villagers | Wukan protests: Police raid homes to arrest villagers |
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| Chinese authorities have raided homes in the village of Wukan in an attempt to suppress demonstrations over the jailing of its elected chief. | Chinese authorities have raided homes in the village of Wukan in an attempt to suppress demonstrations over the jailing of its elected chief. |
| Villagers say hundreds of police entered overnight, using tear gas and rubber bullets. Police have confirmed more than a dozen people were arrested. | |
| Wukan now appears to be in lockdown and controlled by authorities. | |
| Lin Zuluan became Wukan's village chief in rare elections in 2012 but was jailed last Thursday for corruption. | |
| His supporters say a televised confession he appeared in was forced and the trial was designed to remove him from public office. | His supporters say a televised confession he appeared in was forced and the trial was designed to remove him from public office. |
| In the early hours of Tuesday morning, people inside Wukan began sending video footage to the media apparently showing police breaking into homes to arrest people. | |
| The footage, which cannot be independently verified, showed police under riot shields as protesters threw bricks and bottles. | |
| In one video a man is seen being pinned to the ground by police in body armour, while other images show bloodied villagers. | |
| The local public security bureau in Lufeng, Guangdong said 13 people had been arrested for disturbing public order. | The local public security bureau in Lufeng, Guangdong said 13 people had been arrested for disturbing public order. |
| It said the villagers had "constantly spread rumours", forced others to protest and stopped people from working. | |
| "Local government and police have been patiently warning them and educating them, but they turned a blind eye and completely ignored the laws," said the statement. | "Local government and police have been patiently warning them and educating them, but they turned a blind eye and completely ignored the laws," said the statement. |
| "In order to protect the interest of the public and return the village life to order, the police have taken action and arrested them." | |
| Earlier this week police had circulated a notice warning that anyone who did not stop protesting would be held legally responsible. | Earlier this week police had circulated a notice warning that anyone who did not stop protesting would be held legally responsible. |
| Wukan had been seen as a rare model of Chinese democracy. | |
| In 2011 its residents rose up in protest after Party officials began seizing and selling off their land. | |
| In an attempt to stem months of protests, the government allowed them to hold elections for a new village chief, which were won by Lin Zuluan. | |
| In early 2016, he began pushing again for the villagers to receive proper compensation for their land. But in June, he was arrested and charged with taking bribes. | |
| On 8 September he was jailed for just over three years and fined 400,000 yuan ($60,000; £45,000). | |
| The Global Times newspaper, seen as the mouthpiece of the ruling Communist Party, said on Tuesday that some of the seized land had been returned, but that some remained in dispute. |