More than 3,000 ethnic Han Chinese in Xinjiang province took to the streets of the capital Ürümqi today.

The protesters in the Chinese province were demanding more security and the resignation of the local Communist Party leader. The demonstration was prompted by a series of mysterious attacks involving hypodermic needles which have been blamed on the Turkish-speaking Uighur people. A number of Uighurs were reportedly attacked during the protest.

The accusations against the province's largest minority have re-ignited ethnic tensions in Xinjiang. Two months ago, nearly 200 people were killed in clashes between Han Chinese and Uighurs. The police have imposed a curfew in an attempt to clamp down on the latest outbreak of ethnic unrest.