Three detained for fabricating, spreading rumor on ethnic dispute

Police in south China's Guangdong Province have detained three men for allegedly fabricating and spreading rumors that some Uygur ethnic people were beaten up by passers-by and security guards for theft.

A native of Guangdong surnamed Chen made up the initial rumor after seeing a brawl between two security guards and four foreigners on Dec. 22 in the provincial capital of Guangzhou, the city's public security bureau said Wednesday in a statement.

Chen spread the rumor on the Internet, while the two other talebearers, surnamed Nong and Ye respectively, responded to the fake message and further spread it.

The brawl took place at the May Flower Square between four men from Russia and Kazakhstan, who took away an unpaid leather belt from a store, and two security guards on duty, the statement said.

Store staff caught up with and intercepted the four foreigners at the square, and the security guards had tried to help resolve the dispute before having themselves injured in the fight.

Police officers rushed to the site and took both sides in the brawl to the police station for investigation.

Those who disseminate fake information on the Internet against Chinese laws and regulations will face strict punishment, the bureau said in the statement.

Source: Xinhua