London, March 16 (IANS) Actor Richard Gere has criticised China for the way it has handled the protests in Tibet that has left 10 people dead. He wants the 2008 Beijing Olympics to be boycotted.

Gere, who is banned from visiting China, is upset the way people protesting Chinese rule in Tibet were treated, contactmusic.com reported. The actor is the chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet and a devout Buddhist.

He said: 'In this situation, if the Chinese do not act in the proper way, change their ways, acknowledge what is going on, allow free access to communication, then I think that absolutely we have to boycott. It would be unconscionable if we continued as if things are hunky dory and everyone's happy.

'It's impossible. Tibetans have been much marginalised in recent years, much more than before. And that's why you see this pressure cooker effect in Tibet where religion has essentially been outlawed, where pictures of the Dalai Lama, who is essentially their Jesus Christ, are not allowed.'