Chinese taxi drivers attempt mass suicide in Beijing during vehicle leasing protest
A large crowd of onlookers surrounded the unconscious protesters, found lying in busy shopping street, who are now out of danger in hospital, say police
More than 30 Chinese taxi drivers tried to kill themselves in a busy Beijing shopping street this morning by drinking pesticide in a protest over the way taxi companies have renewed the leases of their vehicles.
Police found a group of mainly middle aged men lying on the ground in front of a shopping mall in Wangfujing, with bottles containing pesticide beside them, at about 11am, Beijing police officials said on the force’s official weibo account.
The drivers had travelled from Suifenhe city, in Heilongjiang province to Beijing to protest against the way taxi companies renew leases for vehicles.
The men were rushed to a nearby hospital where they are now out of danger, the police report said.
The self-employed taxi drivers are all from Suifenhe city, in Heilongjiang province.
They had travelled to Beijing to protest against the way taxi companies renew leases for vehicles.
Police in Beijing and Heilongjiang are investigating the case.
In China, it is common for people with grievances against local governments to travel to Beijing to appeal to the nation’s highest authorities.
Sometimes people have been forced to stay in the capital for years until their complaints have been heard.
Local governments are often reported to adopt violent means, including imposing illegal imprisonment, to prevent petitioners from travelling to Beijing and lodging their appeals.
source: http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/ ... er-vehicle
