Two Brits, Two Americans arrested in Beijing for flying pro-Tibet banners

Beijing, Aug.6 : Police in Chinese capital Beijing have arrested two Britons for unfurling giant pro-Tibet banners outside the Beijing Olympic Stadium. According to the Daily Telegraph, Iain Thom, 24 from Edinburgh and Lucy Marion, 23, from London were arrested along with two American protestors after they scaled 120-foot-high lamp posts outside the 'Birds Nest' Stadium to make their protest.

Marion lives in London and is a graduate of Bristol University. She has been campaigning for Tibetan rights since visiting Tibet in 2003. Thom is a grass roots co-ordinator for Students for a Free Tibet UK.

The 200-foot-long banner had the message, "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet" - a parody of the official "One World, One Dream" slogan of the Beijing Olympics. It remained on display for more than an hour before Chinese police moved in.

ABC News quoted Thom as saying that he entered China on a tourist visa, and that he expected to be detained and then be ejected out of the country.

The protest happened hours before the Olympic Torch was due to arrive in Tiananmen Square, and two days before the Olympics opening ceremony takes place at the stadium. It was the latest in a series of demonstrations that have followed the Olympic Torch as it has made its way to the host nation.

Security in China has been ramped up. It was in evidence during the torch's last leg across China when it visited the Sichuan earthquake zone, where more than 69,000 people died in the disaster in May.

Busloads of police officers and troops with riot shields lined the route as the runners passed through Chengdu and security check points were set up for spectators.

British Embassy officials said that they were 'aware' of the reports of the British arrests.

ANI