Nepalese Police Arrest Nearly 500 Protestors in Katmandu

A pair of protests led by Tibetan monks, refugees and human rights advocates turned violent on Monday after Nepalese police used force to arrest nearly 500 demonstrators who had been demanding an investigation into a recent crackdown in Tibet by Chinese authorities.

Many of the protestors were arrested before they ever reached the demonstrations as police stopped those seen marching towards the U.N. offices in Katmandu, the capital of Nepal. Videos of the arrests have surfaced showing Nepalese police beating protestors with bamboo sticks and kicking several who were trying to cover their heads while on the ground.

Authorities in Nepal have said they would not allow protests against friendly countries, including China.

The U.N. condemned the violent nature of police force and in a statement said, “These actions by police violate individuals' basic rights to freedom from arbitrary detention and freedom of movement, in addition to impairing the individuals' rights to peaceful assembly and expression.”

Official numbers of those arrested are conflicting as the United Nations put the number at 475 while police said they arrested 400.

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