The Times reports on new violence during pro-Tibet protests in western Sichuan:
Chinese paramilitary police have opened fire on a crowd of angry Tibetans, wounding about 10 people who were protesting against limits on a prayer ceremony and demanding the return of the Dalai Lama, witnesses said.
The violence erupted on Saturday in a remote town high in the mountains of western Sichuan province where monks at the Lingque temple had been joined by several hundred pilgrims for an annual ceremony known as the Torgya at which lamas exorcise evil elements from society.
…The standoff between the crowd shouting “Give us freedom,” “Free Tibet,” and “Let the Dalai Lama come home” and the police outside the temple lasted for several hours. At one point the police opened fire to try to disperse the protesters and about 10 people were wounded.
One local resident told The Times: “The police opened fire. We could hear it. But I haven’t heard about any of the people throwing stones at the security forces.”
