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| Britons held in Beijing protest | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The British Embassy in Beijing is probing reports of two Britons being detained in a protest about Tibet. | The British Embassy in Beijing is probing reports of two Britons being detained in a protest about Tibet. |
| The group, Students for a Free Tibet, said four activists from the UK and the US were arrested after unfurling banners close to the Olympic stadium. | The group, Students for a Free Tibet, said four activists from the UK and the US were arrested after unfurling banners close to the Olympic stadium. |
| The UK protesters are Iain Thom and Lucy Fairbrother. The group's website said Mr Thom, 24, is from Edinburgh and Ms Fairbrother, 23, is from Cambridge. | The UK protesters are Iain Thom and Lucy Fairbrother. The group's website said Mr Thom, 24, is from Edinburgh and Ms Fairbrother, 23, is from Cambridge. |
| The protest happened before the Olympic torch's arrival in Tiananmen Square. | The protest happened before the Olympic torch's arrival in Tiananmen Square. |
| 'Critical time' | 'Critical time' |
| Protesters scaled a 120ft (36.5m) lighting pole early in the morning and unfurled banners reading "One World One Dream Free Tibet" and "Tibet will be free". | Protesters scaled a 120ft (36.5m) lighting pole early in the morning and unfurled banners reading "One World One Dream Free Tibet" and "Tibet will be free". |
| Speaking on a mobile telephone, while suspended from the pole, Mr Thom told BBC News: "I'm here today because I've been a long-term Tibet activist and I feel like now is a really critical time for Tibet. | Speaking on a mobile telephone, while suspended from the pole, Mr Thom told BBC News: "I'm here today because I've been a long-term Tibet activist and I feel like now is a really critical time for Tibet. |
| "The Beijing Games have been used by the Chinese government as a propaganda tool to whitewash their human rights record in Tibet." | "The Beijing Games have been used by the Chinese government as a propaganda tool to whitewash their human rights record in Tibet." |
| We have taken non-violent action at this critical time to draw the world's attention to the crisis gripping Tibet Lhadon Tethong | We have taken non-violent action at this critical time to draw the world's attention to the crisis gripping Tibet Lhadon Tethong |
| Students for a Free Tibet | Students for a Free Tibet |
| A British Embassy spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of two British nationals being detained." | A British Embassy spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of two British nationals being detained." |
| "We are in touch with the Chinese authorities and are requesting immediate consular access should this information be correct," he added. | "We are in touch with the Chinese authorities and are requesting immediate consular access should this information be correct," he added. |
| Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, described the protesters as "brave young activists". | Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, described the protesters as "brave young activists". |
| She said: "At this very moment, Tibetans are facing the most severe and violent repression they have seen in decades at the hands of the Chinese government, and we have taken non-violent action at this critical time to draw the world's attention to the crisis gripping Tibet." | She said: "At this very moment, Tibetans are facing the most severe and violent repression they have seen in decades at the hands of the Chinese government, and we have taken non-violent action at this critical time to draw the world's attention to the crisis gripping Tibet." |
| Dr Kerry Brown, an expert on Chinese issues with London-based think tank, Chatham House, said the Chinese authorities would be "assessing the situation" following the protest. | Dr Kerry Brown, an expert on Chinese issues with London-based think tank, Chatham House, said the Chinese authorities would be "assessing the situation" following the protest. |
| 'Nervous' | |
| He told BBC News: "They are very nervous, obviously, because of the opening ceremony tomorrow and they don't want to spoil that." | He told BBC News: "They are very nervous, obviously, because of the opening ceremony tomorrow and they don't want to spoil that." |
| But Dr Brown added that if he was "brutally" honest, most Chinese were less concerned about the situation in Tibet than with their country's economy. | But Dr Brown added that if he was "brutally" honest, most Chinese were less concerned about the situation in Tibet than with their country's economy. |
| Students for a Free Tibet named the American protesters on the website as Phill Bartell, 34, from New Jersey and Tirian Mink, 32, from Portland, Oregon. | Students for a Free Tibet named the American protesters on the website as Phill Bartell, 34, from New Jersey and Tirian Mink, 32, from Portland, Oregon. |
| The Olympic torch has travelled 87,000 miles (140,000 km) through six continents since leaving Greece in March. | |
| It's journey has been marked by protests about China's human rights record and its policies in Tibet. | |
| During the month in which the torch began its progress, protests flared in Tibet against Chinese rule before snowballing into the worst unrest in Tibet for 20 years. | |
| The Chinese Embassy could not be reached for comment. | The Chinese Embassy could not be reached for comment. |