Obviously Bush's presence and pro-freedom comments at the games did very little to stop the religious repression.
Police in Beijing on Tuesday denied claims by a Chinese Christian that he was beaten by police and warned off going to a church service attended by U.S. President George W. Bush on the weekend.
The allegations were made by the religious activist Hua Huiqi in a letter released by the U.S.-based group Human Rights in China.
Hua said in the letter that he and his brother were picked up near the church in Beijing early on Sunday morning.
He said they were beaten, dragged into two cars and then interrogated at a nearby building.
Hua quoted police officers as saying, "You are not allowed to go to Kuanjie Protestant Church because President Bush is going there today. If you go again, we will break your legs."
Hua said he managed to sneak out of the building when police were not watching and that he is now in hiding.
A spokesman for the Beijing Public Security Bureau told Kyodo News that police officers had "absolutely no contact" with Hua on Sunday and denied that he had been detained.
However, Hua's brother, Hua Huilin, told the Associated Press that he had received at least two phone calls from the Public Security Bureau saying Hua Huiqi had escaped and asking about his whereabouts.
"I haven't heard from him. We've been waiting here. We're so worried," Hua Huilin was quoted as saying.
Bush urged greater freedom of religion in China after visiting the government-approved Protestant church in Beijing on Sunday.
"Laura and I just had the great joy and privilege of worshiping here in Beijing," he told reporters. "It just goes to show that God is universal, and God is love, and no state, man or woman should fear the influence of loving religion," he said.
All religious institutions have to be officially approved and come under some form of government control in China, but many Christians belong to illegal or "house" churches which do not submit to state authority.
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