A couple of pro-Tibetan protesters in London launched their own demonstration on Tuesday by targeting 12 Chinese Terracotta soldiers on display at the British Army museum.

Martin Wyness and Mark Trepte snuck into the museum and hung placards saying "Stop Killing Tibetans" and "Boycott the Chinese Olympics" around the necks of the two 2,200-year-old statues.

Wyness said he was supporting Tibetans who have been suppressed by a Chinese government crackdown that began last week. He explained that his actions were meant to promote awareness of the violence in Tibet that, according to Tibetan exiles, has already accounted for 100 deaths by Monday.

"I was amazed that the bulk of people clapped when I did it, showing the British public is already behind Tibetans," Wyness said, according to Agence France-Presse.

Twelve life-sized statues have been exhibited at the British museum, on loan from China. The statues, described as "fragile" by the British museum officials are part of the 8,000 warriors created in 221BC to represent the army, that would accompany Emperor Ying Zheng in the afterlife.

Museum officials said however that none of the figures had been damaged by the incident.