Orysia McCabe answers questions about the arrest of her son Zenon Dolnyckyj, shown in the background, at a news conference in Toronto on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2001. Dolnyckyj was detained in Beijing while participating in a Falun Gong demonstration in Tiananmen Square -- the first Falun Gong demonstration to involve Westerners exclusively. (AP Photo/CP, Frank Gunn)

TORONTO -- A Toronto-area mother is confident her son will return safely to Canada after he was arrested in Tiananmen Square for defying the Chinese government's ban on the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Zenon Dolnyckyj, 23, was among 35 protesters hauled off by police in Beijing yesterday after they linked arms, unfurled banners and began pro-Falun Gong chants.

"He was going with only pure intentions," said Dolnyckyj's mom Orysia McCabe from her home in suburban Markham. "I firmly believe that with a righteous heart nothing bad will happen."

Mississauga's Joel Chipkar, 33, was also in the square but Falun Gong followers in Toronto said he was not among those detained and he was headed home.

Falun Gong spokesman Cindy Gu said Dolnyckyj called while in custody, claiming he had been punched by police.

Dolnyckyj began practising the philosophies of Falun Gong - followers say it promotes health and inner peace - when he was a teenager.

"It taught me to transcend my vices, shortcomings and remain in society," Dolnyckyj said in a statement he wrote before heading to China last Thursday.

"I am not risking my life. There is no reason why anything bad should happen to me."

Yesterday's protest lasted about 10 minutes.

Police vans circled the group and hauled away the demonstrators.

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