ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)<br/> STORY: Thousands of angry villagers marched on Thursday (December 15) as part of continued protests over a land dispute in southern China.<br/> The protest is the latest display of simmering rural discontent that is eroding the ruling Communist Party's grip at the grassroots level.<br/> Hong Kong TV showed men, women and children marching through the streets of Wukan Village in Guangdong holding banners and chanting anti-corruption slogans, despite moves by the authorities to halt a land project at the center of the unrest and detain local officials involved.<br/> Days of protests have been sparked by last weekend's death in custody of Xue Jinbo, 42, who had been detained on suspicion of helping organize protests against land seizures.<br/> Villagers believe Xue was the victim of police brutality -- a charge the government denies, citing an autopsy that found he died of heart failure.
