Overseas Chinese in Britain rally in protest against Western media distortion

Source: CCTV.com | 04-20-2008 13:18

In Britain, Chinese expatriates and students have staged a silent demonstration in front of the British Parliament building. They gathered there on Saturday to protest distorted news coverage by some Western media organizations -- including the BBC -- relating to the March 14th riots in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Chinese expatriates and students in Britain attend a silence demonstration at a square opposite to the British Parliament building in London, capital of Britain, April 19, 2008. The  demonstration is to protest against  the distorted reports by some Western media including BBC on the March 14  Tibet riots. More than 3,000 people  joined the demonstration, the first  ever staged by the Chinese community  in Britain.(Xinhua Photo/Xie Xiudong)

More than 3,000 people joined the demonstration, the first ever staged by the Chinese community in Britain.

Qin Chen, Demonstration Coordinator, said, "Today we are here in a quest for objectivity, fairness and justice. As we heard, we saw, BBC's report on some of the recent events has misled the British public and the rest of the world by providing intensive, untruthful reports and biased coverage. We appeal to British media agencies to end their distortion and fabrication. At the time of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, we warmly welcome people from all over the world to come to our country to see, to hear, to touch the real China and talk to the real Chinese people."

Overseas Chinese, said, "I'm deeply touched by this event. I grew up in Tibet and spent ten years there. After the riots happened, I noticed that foreign people actually had very little knowledge about the situation in Tibet. What they heard and saw from the western media -- further misled them. We are here today in hopes of showing them what really happened."

The demonstrators used display boards to help clear up any misinformation relating to the truth about the riots in Lhasa. They prominently contrasted actual photos, depicting the truth of the events during the Tibet riots with distorted photos -- that some western media organizations -- have presented to the world. The demonstrators all covered their mouths with masks -- to express their silent protest against the British media -- for blocking the truth.

Overseas Chinese, said, "I have personally written to BBC's Asia editor to describe the truth of the riots. But the letter was never published. Sky TV also interviewed me on the issue during the torch relay in London. They promised to put my comments on air but it never happened."

The peaceful rally was mobilized via the Internet and received an enthusiastic response from all parts of Britain.

Editor:Yang Jie