Blacks Charge Harassment in China

African residents of Beijing say they are facing growing harassment from police ahead of the Olympics, reports the Globe and Mail. Bar owners near the city's Workers Stadium have reportedly been ordered not to serve "black people or Mongolians." The groups have been targeted as part of China's crackdown on groups it sees as potential troublemakers.

Beijing has long had a large population of African students and traders, but many were forced to leave this year when visa rules were suddenly changed. Those who remain say they are facing discrimination and heavy-handed police raids. "When the police come, you have to run," said one Liberian woman. "I've lived in Holland and the United States and it was never like this. There's no human rights here. It makes me feel very bad." (More African stories.)