of british journalist john ray arrested in beijing

Activists held over Games protest

A group of protesters who tried to unfurl a pro-Tibet banner near an Olympics venue in the Chinese capital Beijing have been held by police. Up to eight protesters, from the group Students for a Free Tibet, had tried to hang a banner in the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park near the National Stadium reading "Free Tibet".

A British journalist who was in the area covering the protest is also reported to have been arrested. The journalist has been identified as John Ray of ITV News.

This is not the first protest to happen during the Olympics. A man was removed from an equestrian event on Saturday for trying to unveil a Tibetan flag.

Mr Ray said,

I tried to explain to them that I was a British journalist but they would not even let me take out my identification documents. I have been roughed up. They dragged me, pulled me and knocked me to the ground. Now they are filming me.