Protests Erupt in Shaanxi, China Over Teen's Mysterious Death

In Shaanxi province, China, violent protests have broken out following the death of a teenage boy, leading to accusations of a cover-up by local authorities. The protests occurred outside the Pucheng Vocational Technical School, where demonstrators clashed with riot police. Some protesters threw objects at the police, while others broke a glass door with a fire extinguisher. In response, police aggressively confronted the protesters, with some being beaten and thrown to the ground.

The protests were sparked by the death of a third-year student, known by the surname Dang, on January 2. Local authorities claimed Dang's death was accidental, but social media posts have raised suspicions of a cover-up. According to a statement by state media, Dang had a physical and verbal altercation with a first-year student named Guo, which was resolved by a school official. Later that night, Dang was found to have fallen from a window in his dormitory.

However, Human Rights In China, a US-based activist group, reported "suspicious circumstances" surrounding Dang's death, including witness accounts of a struggle in his dormitory and claims that he may have been pushed from the roof. The protests began on Monday and may have continued throughout the week, though this remains unclear.