Police detain parents protesting quake-hit school collapses

Police detained and also beat up some parents who tried to stage a protest outside a city hall in the quake-hit city of Dujiangyan, Reuters reported. The parents were demanding to know why schools had collapsed during the quake, killing their children. Eight people were detained. The parents had to tried to enter city hall but were stopped by a police cordon. Some 9,000 children died in the quake and many parents blame flimsy school buildings for the deaths. The Dujiangyan government could not be reached for comment. The central government has said it would probe school building safety. The Sichuan provincial government also has set up working teams to address parents’ concerns.