Authorities in east China ordered a security crackdown Sunday after thousands of locals clashed with police during a protest at the construction of a chemical plant.
In the latest environmental unrest to erupt in China, police at Ningbo city in Zhejiang province fired tear gas Saturday night after six days of demonstrations over the project, online reports said.
"In recent days some unreasonable activities such as illegal gatherings and rioting have occurred, seriously impairing the normal work and life of the people and severely impacting overall development and stability," said a statement on the website of Ningbo's Zhenhai district government.
At an emergency meeting late Saturday local Communist Party officials insisted that the chemical plant project had not been formally approved and agreed to listen to the protesters' demands, the statement said. The government also ordered police to "maintain stability in accordance with law", rhetoric that often signals a heavy-handed crackdown.