OLYPlusSelectPlusSportsU.S. Demonstrators Taken From Tiananmen SquareU.S. Demonstrators Taken From Tiananmen SquareThe Associated PressChristian demonstrators from the U.S. were removed from Beijing's Tiananmen Square, the second day running the same group had gathered there to criticize China's government. (Aug. 7)(Nats) "We have come here today to speak out against the human rights abuses by the Chinese government." THEY CAME FROM THE UNITED STATES TO PROTEST AGAINST THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. AND FOR A SECOND DAY IN A ROW THEY WERE ESCORTED OUT OF TIANANMEN SQUARE. UNIDENTIFIED AUTHORITIES COVERED THE INCIDENT UNDER A SHIELD OF UMBRELLAS AND COAXED THEM OUT OF THE SQUARE. REVEREND PATRICK MAHONEY, FROM THE CHRISTIAN DEFENCE COALITION, ALONG WITH BRANDI SWINDELL FROM A PRO-LIFE ORGANIZATION CREATED A DRAMATIC DISPLAY. (Nats of protesting) Brandi Swindell, National Director of Generation Life "I came to China specifically to be a voice for the persecuted people here in China Christians, practitioners of the Falun Gong, Tibetan monks, anybody who was persecuted because of their faith and belief systems." USING THE OLYMPICS FOR A PLATFORM TO PROTEST HAS BEEN A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND OLYMPIC OFFICIALS. (Nats of protesting) Reverend Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition "We speak for the people in Tian'anmen Square who have been violated. We speak out..." ANOTHER SMALL PROTEST OCCURRED OUTSIDE OF THE ATHLETE'S VILLAGE AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT PULLED AWAY THE VISA OF FORMER US OLYMPIC ATHLETE JOEY CHEEK...ANTICIPATING THAT HE WAS LIKELY TO BE A PROTESTOR MARK CARLSON/STANUP TIEN'ANMEN SQUARE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS WELL KNOW FOR ITS STRICT POLICIES AGAINST ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS. BEIJING OFFICIALS HAD PROMISED TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE TO PROTEST IN DESIGNATED AREAS. TIAN'ANMEN SQUARE IS NOT ONE OF THOSE AREAS AND IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER ANY APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED. MARK CARLSON, AP, BEIJING. Author: AssociatedPress Keywords: oly protests u.s. demonstrators taken from tiananmen square Added: August 7, 2008
