Friday, February 15, 2002

Security forces in China have arrested more than 40 people during a protest in Tiananmen Square, in the heart of Beijing.

Most were Europeans and Americans, [...] protesting against the two-year-old ban on the spiritual group Falun Gong.

A security official said all would be deported by the weekend.

Even so, the tightened security meant that every foreigner nearby was caught up in the sweep.

On one of the busiest tourist days of the Chinese Spring Festival period, foreigners were followed by plain clothes security officials, or subjected to repeated bag searches and questionings.

Several had rolls of film exposed.

Seven foreign media representatives were also detained, including the ABC's China correspondent, Tom O'Byrne, who was later released.

http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s481942.htm