Police and other law enforcement officers in Shanghai were finding themselves on the receiving end of more and more assaults, local judicial officials were quoted assaying by Saturday's China Daily.

In the first five months of the year, presecutors dealt with 17 cases involving 150 suspects accused of disrupting law enforcement. A total of 140 suspects in 107 cases were charged, according to a statement from the People's Procuratorate of Shanghai.

In addition to punching, kicking, biting and verbally abusing officers, attackers have dragged them by car, chased them and threatened them with knifes. Police officers have been injured and, in some cases, the attacks have led to "public disorder", the statement added.

On May 11, a man was asked to stop for a check after driving through a red light in Nanhui district. He refused to comply and, when cornered, bit a policeman. On Feb 8, in a bid to avoid a document check, a man on a tricycle sharply changed direction and dragged a policeman for 100 m.

Some 67 percent of perpetrators were from other provinces, unemployed and with poor educations. Many attacks happened as law enforcers attempted to check illegal Internet cafes or when they were responding to calls, according to procuratorate.

Liu Xiaoyuan, a Beijing lawyer, said that during times of social upheaval, there are more such disputes.

Li Chunlei, a professor with the Chinese People's Public Security University told China News Service policemen often find themselves at the center of conflicts because they are involved in situations where tempers become flared. "They easily become the target of hatred," he said.

Li said urbanization, coupled with hardship caused by the financial crisis has widened the gap between rich and poor and created social problems.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2009)