Beijing police questioned four people that were conducting an unapproved street event, offering free hugs, Beijing News said on Sunday.

The four held signs that said "free hugs" , "care from strangers" and "say 'no' to giving the cold shoulder," on Wangfujing Street, one of the most popular shopping streets in China's capital, at 1:30 PM on Saturday.

An hour later, local police took them in for questioning because "they didn't have a permit from the proper authority." As well, "it might pose a negative social impact," police said.

The four hug "protesters," who met via the internet, were taken to the police station after they successfully hugged several pedestrians, including one foreigner.

"We were inspired by an event in Changsha City," said one of the young male organizers. "Free hugs will bring people closer together and make the world more like a big family."

The four were sent home on late Saturday night after they were questioned, the newspaper said.

The free hugs campaign in Changsha, capital city of China's central Hunan Province, aroused varying responses, including criticisms over its genuine purpose.

However, the event in Changsha had many participants, with one young female organizer saying that she hugged more than 20 pedestrians within a minute.

Many young people in the country's Nanjing, Guangzhou and Tianjin cities have been busy on Internet BBS showing their support of these hugging events.

(Shanghai Daily October 31, 2006)