Activists are held for supporting Southern Weekly

Police detained at least a dozen people on charges of subversion and illegal gathering for participating in activities in support of the embattled Guangzhou-based Southern Weekly this week, activists said yesterday.

Crowds have gathered daily since Monday outside the Guangzhou headquarters of the popular liberal newspaper, sometimes known as the Southern Weekend, in a show of solidary after the provincial propaganda chief, Tuo Zhen, censored a new year editorial urging respect for the constitution. Many gatherers have called for his resignation.

Activists said they have been detained or summoned by police in an attempt to silence them.

Three members of the banned Chinese Democracy Party in Hangzhou said they were detained for "allegedly inciting subversion of state power". Writer Lu Gengsong said police raided his home on Tuesday night and detained him overnight. Mao Qingxiang was also held overnight, and Ren Weiren was held for five hours

Lu and Ren said police interrogated them over a photograph circulating online showing seven Chinese Democracy Party members holding up pieces of paper that said: "In support of Southern Weekly".

"They said we were creating social chaos," Ren said. "They said if I do anything similar again, they will lock me up."