(BEIJING) — The United States said Sunday it was disappointed the Olympics had not brought more "openness and tolerance" in China and pressed for the immediate release of eight American protesters as the games ended.
The New York-based group Students for a Free Tibet said the eight Americans were deported during the Olympics closing ceremony Sunday but there was no immediate confirmation from U.S. or Chinese officials.
The blunt U.S. criticism — and China's harsher treatment of foreign activists — came at the end of 17 days of Olympic competition that generally went smoothly for Chinese organizers who had been nervous about security and protests....