More games protests, say Tibet pair

9:21pm Thursday 7th August 2008

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Two Britons arrested after staging a Free Tibet protest outside China's showpiece Olympic Stadium have predicted the games will be disrupted by more demonstrations.

Lucy Fairbrother, 23, and Iain Thom, 24, were deported after unfurling a 140-square-foot banner reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet" in Beijing.

After landing at London City Airport to cheers from supporters and their families, the pair described their stunt as a "complete success".

Miss Fairbrother described how she had "made friends" with Chinese detectives during her time in custody.

She said: "We will carry on fighting and there will be more protests during the Olympic Games."

As they walked through arrivals the pair were embraced by supporters and their family before a Tibetan, named only as Norbu, placed two traditional headscarves around their necks. The pair were visibly tired but said they had been treated well after being arrested.

Miss Fairbrother, a researcher based in north London, said: "Any sort of jail time was the worst I was expecting - but in fact the Chinese government would not have allowed that to happen. We were perhaps saved by the incredible PR strategy surrounding these Olympics.

"After our arrests we were going into the complete unknown but in fact we made friends with the officers. We ate with them, we talked about their families and we asked about their lives in Beijing.

"One officer said to me, 'We may have different opinions, but we can still be friends'.

"I was not given a solicitor but I didn't feel under threat. It became more and more obvious that we were going to be sent home."