Dozens arrested after riot at Foxconn plant in Chengdu

A dorm for Foxconn workers in Chengdu, the site of a 

clash between workers and security guards on Monday. 

Hundreds of Foxconn employees living in a dormitory at the company's plant in Chengdu in southwestern China clashed with security staff on Monday evening, reportedly taking advantage of a minor disturbance to address prior grievances.

The world's largest electronic contract manufacturer called in the police to calm down the crowd and dozens of those who took part in the disturbance were arrested, according to Molihua, a news website advocating democracy and human rights in China.

The clash broke out at a male dormitory for Foxconn workers in Kaoxinxi district in northwest Chengdu. When two security guards called out to stop a thief, some employees with grudges against the security officers took the chance to hinder them and forced them away.

The situation quickly escalated out of control with up to one thousand workers joining the fray, throwing trash bins, chairs, pots, bottles and fireworks from the upper floors of the bulding to the ground and destroying public facilities.

The dorm administrators reported the case to the local public security bureau, bringing hundreds of police officers to suppress the riot, which ended after two hours.

Foxconn's Chengdu plant in Sichuan province mainly produces liquid crystal displays for electronic products such as Apple's iPhone. An explosion at the factory in May last year killed two workers and injured 16 others.

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