12/27/11 China (China Aid) - Police in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan fired tear-gas canisters at worshipers at a mass outdoor unofficial Christmas service, and moved to detain other members of “house” churches who tried to organize Christian worship elsewhere in the country, according to participants and rights groups.
Sichuan-based church member Li Ming, who attended the Christmas service on a public square in Langzhong city, said police had raided the gathering and detained three people.
“[On Christmas] morning at about 8.00 a.m. our church was holding a Christmas activity on Binjiang Road in Langzhong city,” Li said in an interview on Monday.
“There were around 20-30 police officers, and they used tear-gas canisters,” he said. “My eyes were so swollen I couldn’t see at all.”
Li said police had confiscated the group’s musical instruments and sound system. “They detained three of our people,” he said. “They haven’t released them yet.”
The move follows the detention of a number of unofficial “house” church members ahead of planned Christmas gatherings across China.
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