HANOI, Vietnam --- Police used stun guns and beat parishioners protesting the arrest of fellow church members who have demanded the return of land they say was taken by Vietnam's communist government in the early 1960s, a Catholic priest said Thursday.
About 300 people gathered in front of the police station to pray for the release of those arrested. About five hours after the crowd arrived, several hundred police officers used force to break up the crowd, witnesses said.
"We came to pray peacefully," said Nguyen Thi Phuc, who had blood on face and shirt. "Why did they have to beat us?"
State-run television did not mention the confrontation. Viet- namese officials could not be reached for comment that same night.
Earlier in the day, police had arrested two church members after accusing them of knocking down a fence that surrounds land which parishioners want returned to the church, according to state-owned television.
Nguyen Van Khai, a priest at the Thai Ha church, said four church members were arrested.
The parishioners have been holding round-the-clock prayer vigils for nearly two weeks over the land issue.
On Aug. 15, the day the vigils began, church members knocked down a section of a fence around the property and placed several statues of the Virgin Mary inside.
Police arrested seven demonstrators, and several people suffered minor injuries during the confrontation, the Rev. Khai said. Catholicism is Vietnam's second-largest faith, after Buddhism.
From the Saturday, August 30, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle
About 300 people gathered in front of the police station to pray for the release of those arrested. About five hours after the crowd arrived, several hundred police officers used force to break up the crowd, witnesses said.
"We came to pray peacefully," said Nguyen Thi Phuc, who had blood on face and shirt. "Why did they have to beat us?"
State-run television did not mention the confrontation. Viet- namese officials could not be reached for comment that same night.
Earlier in the day, police had arrested two church members after accusing them of knocking down a fence that surrounds land which parishioners want returned to the church, according to state-owned television.
Nguyen Van Khai, a priest at the Thai Ha church, said four church members were arrested.
The parishioners have been holding round-the-clock prayer vigils for nearly two weeks over the land issue.
On Aug. 15, the day the vigils began, church members knocked down a section of a fence around the property and placed several statues of the Virgin Mary inside.
Police arrested seven demonstrators, and several people suffered minor injuries during the confrontation, the Rev. Khai said. Catholicism is Vietnam's second-largest faith, after Buddhism.
From the Saturday, August 30, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle