An Irish student was reported to be among 33 Falun Gong practitioners arrested in Beijing yesterday after protests in Tiananmen Square.

Mr Brian Trought (23), from Cork city, a physics student at UCC, was among a group of Falun Gong practitioners from 10 countries, who staged the peaceful protest against the Chinese government's persecution of the spiritual group. Mr Trought has been a Falun Gong practitioner for two years.

Mr Leo Harris, a Falun Gong practitioner, said yesterday there was a telephone call from Mr Trought at 10.30 am saying he was on his way to Tiananmen Square. Later, a colleague received a message saying that he had been detained.