Police in southern China say a raid by officers on small bathhouses and other businesses associated with prostitution sparked clashes lasting hours.
A statement on the Guangzhou police's microblog said the incident yesterday in the city's Sanyuanli district was started by individuals resisting inspections. It said crowds gathered and roads were blocked, but additional officers dispatched to the scene were able to restore order at about 8 pm (local time).
There was no mention of injuries or arrests, although photos seen today on popular social media sites showed several police vehicles lying on their sides after having been flipped.
The police statement said officers were targeting what is known as the "five small venues," namely small bathhouses, small cyber cafes, small inns, small Karaoke bars and small beauty salons.
