Rage rage sparks mass riot
2013-01-24 10:36
ROAD RAGE TURNS INTO MASS RIOT: A road rage incident turned into a wide-spread riot as citizens in Azerbaijan vent their frustrations at the disparity between the poor and wealthy.
ISMAYILLI, Azerbaijan - Police in Azerbaijan report that a mob in a central town torched a hotel and several cars in a rampage provoked by a minor vehicle collision.
Ismayilli district police said that several law enforcement officers were injured while trying to restore order overnight.
Trouble began when the owner of a local hotel reacted to his sports car veering onto a sidewalk and colliding with an electricity pole. The owner reportedly had an altercation with another driver.
TORCHING THE OWNER'S CARS
The dispute spiraled, leading to thousands of residents raiding the hotel and setting alight the owner's cars.
The crowd later assaulted the son of a district official.
Although the rioting does not appear to have been politically motivated, it highlights widespread frustrations over disparity between the poor and wealthy in the oil-rich former Soviet nation.