Editorial | Zhuhai horror shows need for measures to prevent recurrence
Car attack on Guangdong crowd as they exercised, leaving 35 dead, a reminder that safety in public places cannot be taken for granted
About 1.2 million people died in crashes on roads last year, according to the World Health Organization. But even that shocking statistic does not prepare us for the horror of a deadly attack by an individual with a car on a crowd of innocent people.
The deaths of at least 35, and injuries to dozens more, in the nearby southern mainland city of Zhuhai on Monday night prompted President Xi Jinping to issue a rare call to local governments to strictly prevent extreme cases of social conflict.
This case is said to be related to a domestic dispute involving property. The dead and injured were not, strictly speaking, victims of traffic accidents.
They were among a crowd exercising in the early evening outside a stadium in an area off limits to vehicles. They were therefore defenceless against a lawless incursion.
The attack is a reminder that safety in public places is not to be taken for granted. It is good that security has been stepped up in Guangdong province.
In the age of the internet and social media, the attack raises questions about how a community deals with social grievances, especially among the mentally fragile. If left unaddressed, they can lead to tragedy.
