Authorities in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, denied yesterday that university students had been victimized by "chengguan", or urban management officers, who were enforcing orders against sidewalk stalls.

"No university student was setting up sidewalk stalls on Monday night in the square (in Jiangning district)," the city's publicity security bureau said in a statement to China Daily.

Hundreds of students were reported to have protested following an incident on Monday night in which the "chengguan" allegedly attacked women university students who set up sidewalk stalls in the square.