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Explosives set off in Beijing airport
02:56 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

A 34-year-old man in a wheelchair detonates a homemade explosive

The man suffered minor injuries, but no one else was injured

Report: The man had been petitioning over treatment that resulted in his paralysis

CNN  — 

A man in a wheelchair set off a homemade explosive inside the Beijing Capital International Airport on Saturday, according to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency.

The man, identified as 34-year-old Ji Zhongxing, was hospitalized after suffering injuries to his arm, which were not considered life threatening. No other people were injured, according to Xinhua.

Flights at the airport were not affected.

Authorities say the device that was detonated at 6:24 p.m. Saturday was similar to fireworks, the state-run news agency said.

Officials said Ji set off the explosives just outside the arrivals exit at the airport’s Terminal 3, after he was stopped from handing out leaflets about his complaints. The man from Heze city, in Shandong province, had been petitioning for more than 10 years over treatment that resulted in his paralysis, state-run media reported.

Xinhua did not elaborate on what his specific complaint was.

In China, people often petition local and national authorities about their grievances.

In some cases, frustrated petitioners have taken violent action. One man, Yang Jia, had tried to file a complaint about his treatment by police. In 2008, he stormed a Shanghai police station and killed six police officers. He was executed later that year.

The Xinhua story echoed advice urging people “not to take extreme measures to vent their anger, as such moves could disrupt public order.”