According to sources ; “following a peaceful protest by fifteen Tibetans in the streets of Lithang main market ; they were later joined by few Tibetan onlookers in the street. The Lithang County Public Security Bureau (PSB) and People's Armed Police (PAP) detained five more Tibetans along with 15 other known Tibetans who staged a peaceful protest demonstration in Lithang on 16 February 2009 and were brutally beaten ; manhandled at the site of the demonstration before being forcibly loaded into military trucks.