Wednesday, February 13, 2002

TORONTO -- A Barrie-area engineering student who was arrested in Beijing's Tiananmen Square while holding a peaceful demonstration is back in Canada.

Twenty-two-year-old Jason Loftus was arrested Monday along with an American while unfurling a banner in support of the banned Falun Gong movement.

Loftus arrived at Toronto's Pearson Airport last night.

He says the past few days have shown him how severe the persecution of Falun Gong supporters is.

Monday's protest was the third in Tiananmen Square by Western [Falun Gong] followers.

Thirty-five were expelled in November, and a Canadian woman was expelled last month after staging a lone protest.

[...] http://www.canada.com/search/site/story.asp?id=CA5CF05D-A0F6-49C4-9A6C-19AF63CE055F