CNN: Falun Gong members barred from HK

HONG KONG (AP) -- Twenty Falun Gong members were barred from entering Hong Kong, apparently to prevent protests against Beijing leaders during the fifth anniversary of the handover from Britain to China, a spokeswoman for the spiritual group said Saturday.

Falun Gong has been declared illegal and subjected to a severe crackdown in China, but it is still permitted in Hong Kong -- where citizens enjoy Western-style freedoms of speech and religion. However, its protests here against Beijing put Hong Kong in a difficult position.

The group said it would demonstrate against Chinese President Jiang Zemin's expected visit Monday for events celebrating the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.

Falun Gong spokeswoman Sophie Xiao said immigration authorities turned away the 20 followers, including two Japanese, two Australians and 16 Taiwanese, who arrived here Friday night.