Approximately 100 Tibetans and Tibet supporters gathered in Chicago for a demonstration honoring the anniversary of the 1959 Tibetan uprising in Lhasa, Tibet at the hands of China’s illegal invasion. The majority of the protesters were from Chicago. SFT representatives from St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri as well as Indiana representatives from the International Tibet Independence Movement were also present. After some brief speeches and the chanting of slogans (e.g., Free Tibet Now, Free The Panchen Lama, Free Tenzin Delek Rinpoche) in front of the Water Tower in downtown Chicago, the protesters weaved their way through the streets to The People’s Republic of China (PRC) Consulate.
Additional speeches were presented and the chanting of slogans continued when the group gathered in front of the Consulate. At one point while at the Consulate, a sign (Free Tibet Now) was placed at an entrance to the Consulate. The sign remained at this spot for at least 30 minutes. It was removed when a Chinese official from the Consulate came outside and asked law enforcement to have it taken away. At this point, the chanting of slogans intensified and the crowd began voicing new phrases, “Shame, Shame, China Shame,” and “Tibet belongs to Tibetans.”
Soon after this, a group of SFTers from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and the University of Missouri-Columbia draped a 12 foot by 16 foot banner from a parking garage across from the Consulate. The banner had a picture of Tenzin Delek Rinpoche and the following message: “Stop the Execution! Save Tenzin Delek.” Officials inside the Consulate were able to see this banner from their office windows. This banner remained in place for about 30 minutes and was eventually taken down by the staff of the parking garage.
Before the final singing of auspicious songs and the Tibetan National Anthem, a PRC flag was burned. This was done, in part, to symbolize the demonstrators’ belief that Tibet belongs to Tibetans and not to China, and the group’s displeasure with China’s human rights record, and treatment of Tibetans inside Tibet.
According to Larry Gerstein, President of the International Tibet Independence Movement, “China must realize that the truth about Tibet cannot be ignored or distorted. China must also realize that the Tibet Movement will continue to thrive and get stronger throughout the world. The protesters here in Chicago are not unusual. Today, like everywhere else, you will notice that a majority of the protesters are young Tibetans and Tibet supporters taking off an entire day from work and/or school to express their deep displeasure with China’s illegal grip on Tibet and its inhumane treatment of the Tibetan people. The aspirations of these protesters will eventually be fulfilled.”
