Hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners today wiggled past a tight security net thrown across Hong Kong to demonstrate as Chinese President Jiang Zemin flew in for an international conference.
But at least 95 others were turned away and refused entry to the territory as Jiang prepared to deliver a keynote address to a global economic forum of business and political leaders.
A huge security operation has been mounted with about 3,000 police deployed across the territory to prevent any violence and protect delegates including former US president Mr Bill Clinton.
About 600 members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement demonstrated in five places across Hong Kong against a mainland ban imposed by Beijing in July 1999.
The Buddhist-inspired movement was forced to hold separate rallies due to police arrangements restricting each gathering to about 30 people in designated areas.
Dressed in distinctive yellow T-shirt bearing the appeal "China stop persecuting Falun Gong", they carried out peaceful meditation exercises, which are planned to continue for the duration of the three-day forum.
AFP