NEWS//Protests in Wuhan

Protests in Hong Kong have captured theworld’s attention.

But another protest has taken place inside China. People in Wuhan took to the streets three weeks ago to protest the construction of a huge incinerator. The incinerator is being constructed within 800 yards of homes and schools. By law, the minimum distance must be a mile.

Plans for the incinerator are six-years-old. At that time, the area was mostly rural. Since then, a residential construction boom took place nearby, including at least two schools. [More below.]

An estimated 10,000 local resident assembled to insist construction must stop. "Give us back our clean environment," they shouted.

The local government dispatched around 1,000 riot police to disperse the crowd. Large numbers of injuries to the demonstrators were reported.

Residents -- who number around 400,000 -- said they first learned of the renewed incinerator plan in mid-June. They immediately organized a petition against it. The government responded by having around 20 of the petitioners detained.

Sources: Radio Free Asia, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Twitter posts, BBC, South China Post