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Westminster bridge action

China ‘Bridge Man’ solidarity hits Westminster Bridge

Activists have hung a banner at Westminster Bridge identical to the one hung from a bridge in Beijing by the protester known as ‘Bridge Man’

Activists have hung a banner at Westminster Bridge identical to the one hung from a bridge in Beijing by the protester known as ‘Bridge Man’.

The group, led by Free Tibet, hung the banner, calling for an end to the Chinese government’s repressive covid restrictions, on Thursday morning in solidarity with the Chinese protester who was detained at the scene of his protest last week and whose whereabouts are no longer known.

Both banners can be translated as ‘We want food, not PCR tests. We want reform, not a Cultural Revolution. We want a vote, not a leader. We want freedom, not lockdowns. We want respect, not lies.  We want to be citizens, not slaves.’

The banner display in London is the largest sign of solidarity among many that have been seen around the world since Bridge Man’s original protest. It comes as tensions about the Chinese government’s treatment of critics in the UK are heightened following the violent assault of a Hong Kong independence protester in Manchester this week, leading to the Foreign Secretary summoning Chinese officials to explain the incident.

Speaking at the Westminster Bridge protest, Tenzin Kunga, a Free Tibet activist, said:

“As a Tibetan, I can feel the frustration of that lone protester because Xi Jinping’s zero-covid is taking a huge toll on the lives of my Tibetan brothers and sisters inside occupied Tibet, as well as making life miserable for the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in East Turkestan, while dismantling all freedoms in Hong Kong. 

“We are gathered here to also amplify the message that the Chinese Communist Party is a great threat to the freedom, liberty and democracy that we take for granted in this free country here.”

Free Tibet has said it wants to send the banner to activists around the world to hold their own solidarity protests meaning the message Xi Jinping’s government tried to hide will spread around the globe.

 

Free Tibet’s Twitter thread about the action:

Free Tibet instagram post about the action.

High-resolution images of the Westminster Bridge protest are available on request.

Activists are available for interview.

 

Free Tibet press office – Will Hoyles, [email protected], 07772512519

 

About Free Tibet – Free Tibet is based in London and stands with Tibetans around the world in their fight against China’s brutal occupation. We keep the eyes of the world on the atrocities being committed in Tibet. We share evidence that makes them impossible to deny. We lead campaigns that make them impossible to ignore. And together, we will build a global movement that’s impossible to resist. www.freetibet.org 

We are Free Tibet, and we stand with Tibetans around the world. For their homeland, for their future and against China’s brutal occupation.