From Voice of America:
The Chinese government has confirmed that people died last week when police fired on demonstrators protesting land compensation in a southern village. But officials say only three people were killed, while witnesses put the death toll as high as 20.
China’s official Xinhua news agency said Saturday that police were “forced to open fire in alarm” after demonstrators in the southern village of Dongzhou attacked a power plant and threw explosives at security forces while attempting to free two villagers arrested after earlier protests.
See also related stories to the protests in Dongzhou.