Why did China censor reports of a deadly hit-and-run?

In many respects, the Chinese Communist party’s (CCP) response to one of the deadliest mass killings in recent Chinese history is drearily familiar. The authorities now say that at least 35 people were killed and dozens injured on Monday evening when the 62-year-old driver of an SUV rammed his vehicle into crowds at a local sports stadium. But it took the authorities more than a day to release details and initial online searches were heavily censored. Videos from the scene in the southern city of Zhuhai posted to social media were deleted – even state media reports were removed from the internet. BBC journalists were told to stop filming when they tried to report from the area.

The track where the incident took place was popular with families, who crowded the area to dance, run and walk on most weekday evenings. Videos show the vehicle ploughing through one walking group before making a sharp turn and ramming into another group, leaving bodies scattered on the ground.