A CHINESE bishop was among 90 Catholics arrested near Beijing in a new crackdown on the "underground" Church.
The Cardinal Kung Foundation reported that police arrested Bishop Yao Liang of Xiwanzi and two days later also arrested a priest of the diocese, Fr Li Huisheng.
When lay Catholics protested, 500 police were mobilised to arrest almost 90 of them.
Two men were taken to hospital with injuries they suffered in the raid and one pregnant woman suffered a miscarriage.
The majority have since been released but about 20 remain in custody. The area, known as Hebei, is a stronghold of Catholics loyal to the Pope.