China factory under guard after protests

Dongling Lead and Zinc Smelting’s factory in Changqing town in Shaanxi province was placed under heavy guard yesterday as protesting parents stormed the factory and stoned delivery trucks, AP reported. At least 615 of 731 children in two villages in the town’s administrative area were reported to suffer from lead poisoning, but factory managers continued to run the factory at night despite orders to close. Police officers lined the routes leading to the factory; one road was lined with between 75 and 100 officers. Police also interfered with journalists attempting to interview villagers. A nearby hospital admitted 80 children with lead poisoning complaints. Authorities have promised to relocate the families, but villagers expressed suspicion. "If they relocate us to these nearby places, who can guarantee that our babies will be safe?" said farmer Deng Xiaoyan, a resident of Sunjianantou village.