The riots took place several days after a violent incident in Shaoguan , Guangdong , where many migrant workers are employed as part of a programme to alleviate labour shortages . According to state media , a disgruntled former worker disseminated rumours in late June that two Han women had been raped by six Uyghur men . Official sources later said they found no evidence to support the rape allegation . Overnight on 25 – 26 June , tensions at the Guangdong factory led to a full-blown ethnic brawl between Uyghurs and Hans , during which two Uyghur co-workers were killed . Exiled Uyghur leaders alleged the death toll was much higher . While the official Xinhua News Agency reported that the person responsible for spreading the rumours had been arrested , Uyghurs alleged that the authorities had failed to protect the Uyghur workers , or to arrest any of the Han people involved in the killings . They organised a street protest in Ürümqi on 5 July to voice their discontent and to demand a full government investigation
a violent incident in Shaoguan , Guangdong
Shaoguan incident
July 2009 Ürümqi riots