Protest breaks out over officials' conduct

QIANXI, Guizhou - Thousands of residents gathered in the streets of a southwestern county on Thursday to protest the actions of urban administration officials who had come into conflict earlier in the day with a man they had accused of illegally parking a car.

Some in the group became unruly at times and smashed police vehicles, the local police confirmed on Friday.

The protest, in Qianxi county of Southwest China's Guizhou province, was the latest sign that tension exists between local residents and urban administration officials, who are responsible for maintaining order and cleanliness in cities.