Chinese youths trash Internet caf�

[R. A. Hettinga]

<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/12/china_cybercafe/print.html>

The Register



Chinese youths trash Internet cafi
By Tim Richardson (tim.richardson at theregister.co.uk)
Published Wednesday 12th May 2004 11:40 GMT

Staff at a Chinese Internet cafe have resigned after they were beaten up
last week by a gang of 16 teenagers barred from entering the cybercafe. The
gang of youths beat one worker with bins and fire extinguishers before
trashing the Internet cafi. Earlier they threatened to beat up anyone who
"dared to check identity cards" after being refused entry to the cybercafe.

The attack is the latest in as series of assaults at an Internet chain in
Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province in northwest China, and follows a recent
Government crackdown to prevent minors from entering cybercafes. The
Chinese Government is concerned the Net can corrupt the minds of
youngsters. But the clampdown has only sought to enrage some
whippersnappers, who, in one attack, even slashed bicycle tyres, according
to Xinhuanet.

In a separate incident, two cybercafe workers in Shanghai were killed over
an argument about the use of computers. According to AP, around ten men
chased the two workers before stabbing them to death.

China has shut down more than 8,600 cybercafes over the last couple of
months over fears that they can affect the "mental health of teenagers"
while spreading "unhealthy online information". As part of China's bid to
protect youngsters, authorities also ruled that Internet cafes are not to
operate in residential areas or within 200 metres of primary and high
schools. .


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R. A. Hettinga <mailto: rah at ibuc.com>
The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/>
44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA
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