BEIJING, Oct 28, 2000 -- (Agence France Presse) Chinese police, watchful after two days of demonstrations in Tiananmen Square by adherents of the forbidden Falun Gong [group], cracked down Saturday on a favorite hobby of Beijing locals -- kite-flying.

At least five kite enthusiasts were forced to land their craft in the huge central Beijing Square early Saturday morning, with police evidently fearing a third day of protests by the Buddhist-inspired group.

A man of about 60, astonished by the ban, was treated brusquely by police officers who forced him to leave the square, his kite under his arm.

"The square is so big, we should have the right," he responded to the police officers.

"They are very irritated by the Falun Gong," a kite-seller said, trying nonetheless to shift her stock.

"They must think the kites will obstruct them if there is a demonstration."

Hundreds of uniformed and plain-clothed police patrolled the square, the world's largest, having often brutally removed dozens of Falun Gong followers on Thursday and Friday.

The [group] followers planned to mark Monday's first anniversary of a vote by the Chinese legislature, which enacted a range of new legal powers against illegal religious movements. ((c) 2000 Agence France Presse)