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The terrifying moment chopper-wielding vendor lunges at chengguan
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 25 September, 2014, 5:02pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 25 September, 2014, 6:12pm
Staff Reporter
The shopkeeper chases after the officer in Foshan. Photo: SCMP Pictures
An enraged shop owner wielding a knife chased an urban management officer, or chengguan, in the street after a dispute in Guangdong province.
The chopper-wielding man, who owns a tobacco shop in Foshan, was ordered to take down an unauthorised advertisement board by the officer, sparking a confrontation on Tuesday morning.
The owner grabbed the chopper and chased him for about 50 metres down a street before a patrolling police officer intervened and fired three warning shots.
The man was subdued and arrested for obstructing a law enforcement officer.
China's chengguan, much-loathed for their heavy-handed tactics, are in charge of keeping peddlers off the streets and removing illegal buildings, among other tasks.
Last November, four chengguan in Shaanxi were suspendended for dragging a street vendor into their vehicle and abandoning him 20 kilometres away in the countryside. The vendor had been selling brushes at the bus stop and ignored the officers' order for him to leave.
Often the officers' actions have prompted a backlash from locals. According to statistics last year, Guangdong's capital city, Guangzhou, recorded 199 cases in which street vendors used violence against the chengguan between January and August.
Ninety-nine of the officers were injured as vendors used knives, hot water, bamboo and other utensils to challenge the officers.
One officer was stabbed seven times when inspecting a stall, the Guangzhou government said at the time.
