August 27, 2001

HONG KONG, China -- Followers of the Falun Gong [group] have maintained a protest vigil near China's representative office in Hong Kong, a day after police arrested 10 members for "obstructing" a public area.

The arrested members continued their hunger strike after they were released without charges.

"We don't know when the marathon strike will end but I believe since we are now in a police assigned area, we won't be arrested again," Falun Gong spokesperson Tony Chan told CNN.

The strike, which started on Saturday, is to support the 130 China Falun Gong members hunger striking in a labor camp in Heilongjiang province.

The Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association said Hong Kong is part of a worldwide protest urging the release of the followers. Practitioners in New York, San Francisco, London, Sydney and Canada are also taking part.

"The 130 Falun Gong followers have entered the third week of hunger strike in the labor camp. They are very weak. I don't know how long they can hold on for," said the Hong Kong spokesman.

The Falun Gong adherents say they are refusing food to show solidarity for jailed followers in mainland China, but they have no intention of going on a prolonged hunger strike.

The arrests on Saturday marked Hong Kong's toughest action yet against local Falun Gong followers, who take advantage of Hong Kong's Western-style freedoms to stage frequent protests against Beijing's suppression of the [group] in mainland China.

Hong Kong police had not previously arrested any [local] Falun Gong followers.

After being questioned by police throughout much of Saturday afternoon, the 10 Falun Gong followers were released without being charged.

They spent the night camped out near the Chinese liaison office, but not right in front of it, where they had been arrested.

Police said they had received two complaints that Falun Gong was obstructing the public outside the Chinese office in a demonstration that began Saturday morning -- even though witnesses said there was plenty of room for passers-by.

Pro-democracy activists said they are worried but not surprised that Hong Kong is taking a tougher line toward the sect, which often openly attacks the Chinese government.

"I think the police have gone mad," said Martin Lee, leader of the opposition Democratic Party.

"How can they arrest these people who were not even shouting or speaking, and were just breathing there. I think they are totally ignorant of the law."

Pro-Beijing figures accused the [group] of deliberately provoking the authorities.

Hong Kong officials have gradually escalated their rhetoric against Falun Gong, with Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa labeling the group a [term omitted].

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/east/08/27/hk.flg.strike/index.html

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