Hong Kong Police Release Falun Gong Hunger Strikers

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Police made the first Hong Kong arrests of Falun Gong supporters on Saturday as they staged a hunger strike to support other followers of the controversial spiritual movement who are imprisoned in China.

The 10 Falun Gong practitioners were arrested for ''obstruction in public places'' and later released. But the protesters said they would continue their demonstration even if it meant risking arrest again.

Nine women and one man began their sit-in and hunger strike at 9 p.m. EDT at the front entrance of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, in Hong Kong's western district.

``We were all released by about 6:30 p.m. (6:30 a.m. EDT). We were unable to reach a compromise with the police about our protest, so we will continue our effort,'' hunger striker Zhou Sheng said after her release.
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Police spokesman Ricky Chong told Reuters earlier that the hunger strikers were arrested because they had ignored repeated police requests to relocate their sit-in protest to a public area near the Chinese Liaison Office, but away from the front entrance.

Although Falun Gong is banned in China, it is legal in Hong Kong, a former British colony which was promised a high degree of autonomy when it reverted to Chinese rule in 1997.
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HK Police Release Falun Gong Hunger Strikers