Peaceful Protest in Hungary and Poland
Budapest, 13 June: Around 20-30 protestors, including resident Tibetans and members of TSG Hungary staged peaceful demonstration to protest against China’s repressive and harsh policies in Tibet during President Hu Jintao’s visit to Hungary from June 10-12,2004. Carrying large banners and placards bearing slogans “Long Live His Holiness the Dalai Lama”, ” Release Panchen Lama”,”Release Tenzin Delek Rinpoche”, “Free Tibet Save Tibet”,”Long Live Tibet-Hungary Friendship”,the demonstrators gathered at major areas of central Budapest, including the Parliament House, Hosok Tere and outside Hilton Hotel, where the Chinese delegation headed by President Hu Jintao stayed during the visit.
Outraged at seeing the Tibetan national flag flying high-up to the sky during the flower-laying ceremony at Hosok Tere on 10th June, one Chinese Embassy official came rushing towards the protestors and burst the large gas-powered balloons used for flying the flag. Despite the presence of the police, the Chinese official attacked the leader of the protestors in an attempt of piercing the second balloon. The police then seized the Chinese official, who was let away with a warning. This incident was widely covered by the national television, radio and newspapers.
A similar incident has reportedly occurred in the city of Warsaw, Poland when some angry Chinese officials attacked the peaceful protestors and snatched the Tibetan National Flags during Hu Jinato’s visit to Poland from June 8-10,2004. Numerous billboards, denouncing China’s human rights violation in Tibet, set up on the road from airport by Polish chapter of Students for Free Tibet the night before Hu Jintao’s visit were destroyed, which attracted the attention of the Polish television and newspapers.
Report Courtesy – Oot, Budapest