Women protesting eviction detained by Beijing police

At least two women who have protested being evicted from their homes ahead of the Olympics were taken to a police station amid ramped up efforts by activists to use the games to spotlight their causes.

Zhang Wei and Ma Xiulan, who have been vocal about the pain of losing their family compounds near Tiananmen Square to make way for Olympic construction, were taken from their homes late Wednesday and early Thursday, according to Ma.

Also Thursday, a Hong Kong lawmaker said immigration officials deported three U.S.-based Chinese pro-democracy activists after denying them entry to the territory, which is hosting the Olympic equestrian events.

The efforts are part of stringent security measures for the games by Chinese communist authorities determined that the Olympics should be an international showcase for the country.

With the world's eyes turned on Beijing in anticipation of the games, which start Friday, activists have stepped up their protests to publicize their causes.

The groups so far have been small and police have acted with relative restraint. No arrests were reported although the Beijing Olympics organizing committee condemned the demonstrations.

Ma said officers came to her door at 2 a.m. and bruised her arm while grabbing her. Reached by the AP on her cell phone, she said she was at a local police station with Zhang and a number of other residents but could not give any other details.

"The police are watching me and are restricting my phone use," Ma said. "They are not letting me talk to reporters, especially the foreign media. I'm here because I talked to the foreign media before," Ma said before quickly hanging up.

A woman who answered Zhang's cell phone said Zhang had been taken away a little before midnight by two police offers and one plainclothes security agent. She refused to give her name for fear of official retribution and would only say she was a family member.

Two officers who answered the telephone at the police station where Ma said she was being held said no one had been detained and refused to give any more information because they were not authorized to speak to the media.