Parents in China arrested after protesting rotting food at schools

SEOUL, March 14 (UPI) -- Chinese state media is defending a crackdown on protesting parents, after they complained their children were being fed expired and tainted foods at their school.

The rally began following revelations the private school in Chengdu, China was serving spoiled foods, South Korean television network Channel A reported Thursday.

Chinese videos uploaded to social media showed blackened and expired rice, meat gone bad, and moldy noodles.

The food was what was being stored, then served, at the school canteen, according to the report.

An anonymous individual who took the footage can be heard saying a "bad smell" was coming from ribs that would have been served to the children.

Chinese television may not be airing any of the social media footage, including that of a student who said the school would add expired meat to the porridge that was served at the cafeteria.

Angry parents took to the streets of Chengdu on Wednesday, as officials told them to "rest assured" about food safety.

More than 100 people took part in the protests before Chinese education authorities. About a dozen people were detained at a local police station, state tabloid Global Times reported Thursday.

State media said protesters were responsible for the arrests, and were the cause of "serious disturbances" to the public order.

The investigations may also be focusing on the food supplier, Sichuan Deyu Logistics Management Services, rather than on education authorities.

The firm supplies food to more than 30 schools and 200,000 students, according to reports.