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Falun Gong's HRTR met with a counter protest

2008-04-14 Author:Jeff

Counter-protests support Beijing 2008 Olympics, photo from Willamette Week Newspaper on April 12.

Protesters calling attention to the human rights abuses in China at the South Park Blocks in U.S. Portland in the run up to the 2008 Beijing Olympic games were met with an unexpected counter-protest, sources from Willamette Week Newspaper on April 12.

The Human Rights Torch Relay, organized by Falun Gong, passed through Portland on the afternoon of April 12. About 50 people came out to speak against China's hosting of the Olympic games and calling for them to cease human rights abuses.

What the Relay organizers were not expecting was a counter protest by members of the United Chinese Association of America. About 75 members of that organization showed up this afternoon to confront the Relay, outnumbering the Relay.

"We believe politics and the Olympics are two different things," says Ed Shan, one of the counter-protest organizers.

Many of the counter protesters are Chinese immigrants now living in Portland. Joy Chen, 32, moved to Portland from China seven years ago, and would not admit that the human rights abuses in China are a problem.

"We are making improvements," she said. "I don't think it's a problem."

Things got pretty passionate when speakers from the Torch Relay tried to speak over counter-protesters shouting "Go Olympic! No politics" and "Go China!" and accusing people with the Torch Relay of being liars.

Photos from Willamette Week Newspaper

(Facts.org.cn, April 14, 2008)

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