SYDNEY, May 13 (AFP) - Falungong practitioners staged a peaceful protest here Sunday against what they describe as the persecution of the sect by authorities in China. About 100 followers of the Buddhist-inspired spiritual group, banned in China, demonstrated their Tai Chi-like exercises near Sydney's Darling Harbour tourist centre. Spokesman Thomas Dobson told journalists Falungong, also known as Falun Dafa, was to China what yoga was to India and demonstrations were being staged to make Australia aware of Beijing's persecution of the movement. "Falun Dafa is non-political. It's not a religion," he said. "We don't ask for money and we don't ask people to sign up. "It's a practice of mind and body. You practice the five exercises in the parks or at home in the morning or at night. "You try to follow the three main words which are truth, compassion and forbearance." Beijing has banned the group as an "evil cult", and considers it the biggest threat to Communist party rule since the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square. Chinese President Jiang Zemin's visit to Hong Kong last week for a global forum was overshadowed by Falungong demonstrations while several Australian followers were refused entry to the territory. Canberra joined the United States and Britain in deamnding to know why its nationals were refused entry. There are an estimated 2,000 Falungong practitioners in Australia.