October 24, 2002, Thursday London Edition 1

SECTION: OBSERVER; Pg. 20
Falun Gong worshippers are not only unwelcome in China but also anywhere near Jiang Zemin, China's president, who is touring the land of the free. Members of the spiritual movement, which is banned in China, traveled from across the US to Houston to protest to Jiang about the persecution of its practitioners.

But the Falun Gong delegation had its 50-room hotel booking mysteriously cancelled a few days ago and were offered rooms elsewhere, far away from where Jiang is staying. The hotel insists it was suddenly overbooked.

Perhaps the US has taken some tips from the UK which, three years ago, shamefully quashed all peaceful protest against Jiang while he was on a state visit to London.

LOAD-DATE: October 23, 2002