In the largest protest in Qinghai province this year, almost 100 Tibetans have been detained after a crowd surrounded government buildings near Rabgya Monastery.
The unrest seems to be in response to the 28-year-old monk, Tashi Sangbo, committing suicide.
The young monk was arrested last week for having a Tibetan flag in his possession as well as several political leaflets – both of which are banned in the region. Tashi then escaped custody and killed himself by jumping into a river.
“Angry protesters managed to snatch from police the Tibetan national flag that was earlier confiscated by the Chinese officials,” according to the Phayul report, which also reported that thousands were involved in the protest.
Chinese officials managed to block all communication in and out of the Tibetan enclave by closing roads, as well as cutting telephone lines, text messages, and internet, making it difficult for reports to be authenticated.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the exile of the Dalai Lama, which has triggered China to issue thousands of paramilitary troops to the region to ensure stability.