Driver injured by protester sues Xi'an police

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A driver badly injured during an anti-Japan protest in Xi'an filed a lawsuit against the city's police force on Thursday, accusing it of dereliction of duty.

Li Jianli filed his case with a court in the city's Lianhu district, demanding 500,000 yuan ($79,600) in damages.

This is the latest challenge to the actions of police during demonstrations in the Shaanxi provincial capital, with two other residents also demanding authorities disclose total losses and investigate how the incidents were handled.

On Sept 15, Li's skull was fractured when he was struck on the head with a steel lock several times by a protester. Li had been attempting to protect his Toyota car from vandalism in a crowded street.

A spokesman for Xi'an police denied the allegations and said they had not been informed of the lawsuit.

Demonstrations were reported in more than 80 Chinese cities after the Japanese government decided on Sept 11 to "purchase" China's Diaoyu Islands.

Although rallies against the "purchase" were orderly in many cities, violence broke out elsewhere, including Qingdao, Changsha and Shenzhen, where there was looting and assaults, and Japanese cars were damaged.

An interpretation by the Supreme People's Court in July 2001 stated that police should pay compensation to citizens, legal bodies and organizations if injury was caused as a result of dereliction of duty.

Wang Juling, Li's wife, said on Thursday the family is grateful to the police for catching the man who attacked her husband, and appreciates the fact officials from Xi'an Public Security Bureau visited Li in the hospital and donated 20,000 yuan to help pay his medical bills.

"We also thank the traffic police who helped take my husband to the hospital," she said. But she added that the family still considers the bureau's failure to perform its duties properly caused "trauma and loss".

An officer with the Public Security Bureau's general office, who declined to give his name, said they sent most of their forces onto the streets on Sept 15 to protect hotels, shops and residents from attack.

About the broadcaster:

Lee Hannon is Chief Editor at China Daily with 15-years experience in print and broadcast journalism. Born in England, Lee has traveled extensively around the world as a journalist including four years as a senior editor in Los Angeles. He now lives in Beijing and is happy to move to China and join the China Daily team.