Armed police in China to guard schools after hammer attack

CHINA: Armed police will patrol schools in China's capital after a farmer attacked kindergarten students with a hammer, then burned himself to death in the third classroom assault in as many days.

The Government ordered schools across the country to tighten security after Friday's attack, and anxious parents of students targeted in an earlier attack marched to demand a better government response to the crisis.

In the latest assault, Wang Yonglai used a motorcycle to break down the gate of the Shangzhuang Primary School in the city of Weifang and struck a teacher who tried to block him before hitting students with a hammer, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Wang then grabbed two children, poured petrol over his body, and set himself on fire. Teachers pulled the children to safety, but Wang died. None of the five injured students had life-threatening wounds.

Wang's motive was unclear.

Chinese schools have had five such attacks in just over a month, which is unusual in a country where extreme violence is comparatively rare and strict controls keep most people from owning guns.

Sociologists suspect the rampages, usually by lone, male attackers, could be copycat actions. Experts say such attacks against defenceless children could be due to social pressures in a changing society.

Armed tactical police will begin patrolling nursery, primary and secondary schools in the Chinese capital starting from May 4.

- AP