The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said at least 20 of the protesters were injured in the clash with hundreds of police officers since Monday.

Wang Xiulin, a Communist Party secretary who also headed a company from 1989 until retiring in April this year, is accused of embezzling 400 million yuan (about $58.8 million) worth of state assets and pocketing 45 million yuan of the workers' pension fund, the report said.

The protesters clashed with police officers when they forced their way in the provincial government building in a bid to talk to the governor, leaving 20 people injured, the Hong Kong-based center said, adding that the protest continued Tuesday.

A staff member at the provincial government's propaganda office who declined to be named said she has ''not heard of'' such a protest and could not verify the report.

Other posts on mainland websites also mentioned the presence of anti-riot police officers outside the provincial government, and numerous complaints against Wang's misappropriation of company fund.

==Kyodo