Some 2,000 people, many of them women, beat police and tax officials, overturned and burned several police cars, and threw stones at a local administration building in protest at new regulations on imported goods.
Many of those who rioted were merchants selling Chinese wares and goods the Uzbek government has branded as poor-quality goods.
Police and tax officials came to one of the markets in Kokand to confiscate some of the inferior-quality goods when the riot broke out.
Despite efforts by police using water cannons, a large group of protesters marched through Kokand to the mayor's office.
Late reports indicated several hundred people were demonstrating in front of the mayor's office.
(RFE/RL Uzbek Service/AFP)
Many of those who rioted were merchants selling Chinese wares and goods the Uzbek government has branded as poor-quality goods.
Police and tax officials came to one of the markets in Kokand to confiscate some of the inferior-quality goods when the riot broke out.
Despite efforts by police using water cannons, a large group of protesters marched through Kokand to the mayor's office.
Late reports indicated several hundred people were demonstrating in front of the mayor's office.
(RFE/RL Uzbek Service/AFP)
