Tibetans clash with police during anti-China demonstration

(dpa) - At least three Tibetan demonstrators and two police officers were injured during anti-China demonstrations in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu, protest organisers said.

The demonstrations were part of protests to mark the 49th anniversary of the flight of Tibetan religious leader Dalai Lama from Lhasa to India after an abortive uprising against Chinese rule.

Demonstrators clashed with police after they were prevented from marching to the Chinese embassy.

Protest organisers said at least three demonstrators were injured during clashes with the police which erupted after the police stopped demonstrators about a kilometre from the embassy.

About 4,000 demonstrators had gathered at Boudhnath Stupa on the eastern edge of Kathmandu city before marching to the embassy some five kilometres away. Many carried placards denouncing continued Chinese rule and human rights violations and chanted "Free Tibet."

Police said they baton charged the demonstrators after they attacked police with stones and other missiles. They also said they briefly detained at least 15 demonstrators.

Nepal has a large Tibetan community who arrived during the 1960s after the Chinese takeover of Tibet.

Many were later granted Nepalese citizenship and Nepal has discontinued recognising recent Tibetans arriving in the country as refugees since the late 1980s.

Nepal officially recognizes Tibet as a part of China and has repeatedly said that no anti-China activities would be allowed on Nepalese territory.