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SCMP Reporter

Police detained 10 Falun Gong followers for obstruction outside Beijing's Liaison Office yesterday  - the first time sect members have been arrested in Hong Kong.

By last night, all 10 had been released after a verbal warning and were back outside the office in Western.

This time they confined their protest to a designated zone 10 metres from yesterday morning's demonstration.

The group is staging a fast as part of a co-ordinated protest in cities across Europe, the United States and Australia in support of 130 Falun Gong followers detained in a labour camp in Heilongjiang province.

Falun Gong was banned on the mainland in 1999 and has been branded an evil cult.

Yesterday's protest began at 8.30am, directly outside the Liaison Office in Connaught Road West, 10 metres from the site where they normally gather to demonstrate.

Police said they received two complaints - one understood to have come from the liaison office itself - that the group was causing an obstruction on the pavement.

The protesters - nine women and one man - ignored three warnings to move before they were arrested at 1pm.

They were carried away by officers for causing an obstruction in a public place.

Local Falun Gong leader Kan Hung-cheung expressed regret at the arrests, claiming they had damaged freedom of expression. He also accused the police of abuse of power and bending to political pressure.

'Our peaceful petition did not obstruct the street as there were only 10 of us. The police exercised their powers inappropriately,' he said.

'This was a peaceful petition. But I suspect there is pressure from the central Government or Jiang Zemin to suppress local Falun Gong.'

Island region police commander Ng Wing-tai said minimal force had been used to remove the followers.

He denied they had singled out Falun Gong for special treatment, saying they had been dealt with the same as anyone else.

A government spokesman said last night the protesters should have avoided creating a nuisance and moved to the designated protest area.

'The community expects people to express their views in a peaceful and lawful manner without causing undue inconvenience to the public. Police will facilitate members of the public to demonstrate lawfully and peacefully,' he said.

Li Pang-kwong, of Lingnan University's department of politics and sociology, described the incident as an isolated case that did not indicate the SAR Government had adopted a tougher stance against Falun Gong.

'As the protesters were not charged, it does not indicate any major change in the policy towards the sect or any pre-warning that the Government is going to ban the sect's activities in the SAR,' he said. 'It would be very unwise for the Government to spark a new round of political debate on the sect by taking a tougher stance now, given that there have been lots of grievances in the community and Mr Tung has to secure a second term as chief executive.'

But Law Yuk-kai, director of Human Rights Monitor, was worried that the police were becoming increasingly intolerant of the group. 'It is rare for police to arrest protesters. The arrests mean that the police targeted Falun Gong and indicates they have adopted tougher measures against them,' he said.

Frontier lawmaker Cyd Ho Sau-lan said: 'Even if there were complaints, the police should see whether it is reasonable or not. Everyone has the right to use the pavement area.'

But pro-Beijing legislator Yeung Yiu-chung said the arrests were in accordance with the law and did not target the group.

'Freedom of expression is allowed in the SAR. But if they caused inconvenience and intended to stay as long as they wished, it was legitimate for the police to remove them.'

Falun Gong members were also warned about obstructing the street outside the liaison office last week but were not arrested.

Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa has labelled the sect an 'evil cult', while some politicians have called for an anti-subversion law to tackle the group.



Police act after receiving complaint in first case of sect followers being held in Hong Kong