KATHMANDU: Hundreds of Tibetan exiles calling for freedom in their homeland demonstrated in the Nepalese capital on Friday until police stopped them.

About 500 Tibetans, many of them women, marched on the outskirts of Kathmandu for about three kilometres, holding banners that said “Free Tibet, Tibet for Tibetans.’’

Police at first tried to detain some of them, but after scuffles lasting several minutes the protesters returned to their refugee camp at the southern edge of Kathmandu. No one was arrested. Tibetans have been protesting almost daily in front of the Chinese embassy and United Nations since March 10 against Chinese crackdown in Tibet. Friday’s march, however, was far from their usual site of protest.

Nepal’s police have broken up almost all anti-China protests by Tibetan exiles during the past several weeks and detained participants. Officials say they will not allow protests that could harm Nepal’s friendly relations with neighbouring China.

The United Nations and international rights groups have criticised Nepal for using what they say is excessive force to stop the protests. Police have beaten people with batons and dragged them through the streets while detaining them.