February 16, 2002

A British schoolboy says he was rugby tackled to the ground by six Chinese policemen and manhandled during a protest in Beijing.

Leeds Grammer School A-level student Alexander Rostron was demonstrating against a crackdown on the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

He said he was "terrified" as one officer grabbed him by the throat as he was pinned to the floor to try to stop him saying "Falun Gong is good".

"I was badly roughed up simply for trying to take part in a peaceful protest," he said. "It was completely over the top."

The 18-year old was staying in a hostel with four other British practitioners of the spiritual health exercises when it was raided on Wednesday night, but avoided arrest because he did not have any Falun Gong material on him.

An officer trailed him as he travelled to the planned protest in Tiananmen Square the following day and was eventually thrown out of the square after a banner was discovered in his bag.

"I carried on to another spot and tried to unfold the banner but a group of policemen spotted me and started chasing," he said.

"One grabbed my coat but I was able to wriggle out and carry on. But then they rugby tackled me and brought me crashing to the ground."

A Chinese woman who was passing by was also sent flying as the officers pounced, he said.

Mr Rostron was bundled into a van and taken to a hotel close to the airport where he was held with other Western protesters. He returned to England last night and is now back at home in Leeds.