CHICAGO, IL. August 10 – Approximately 500 Tibetans and 15 Westerners participated in a massive “Walk for Tibet” through downtown Chicago on August 8. Tibetans from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois participated along with non-Tibetans from neighboring states such as Indiana. The walk was part of the Midwest People’s Movement in support of the 14 Tibetan Hunger Strikers in New Delhi and it was also part of the worldwide effort to protest the one-year countdown of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
While the walk around downtown Chicago was underway, a number of Tibetan-Americans entered China’s Consulate to present the Consulate General with a letter demanding that China meet the hunger strikers’ five requests. Consulate staff members refused to accept the letter. The activists were also denied a chance to speak with the Consul General, Ping Huang, and they were ushered out of the building.
Following this, the activists proceeded to China’s Visa Office to apply for a Visa and to present the letter of demands to the staff on hand. Most of the activists had their photographs taken and were escorted out of the Visa building by security. Pema Tashi, a Tibetan-American soccer player from Madison, continued the visa application process in the hopes of representing Tibet at the 2008 Olympics. When he was asked for legal documentation of his country, he replied, “Tibet does not have the right to give its citizens legal documents while under Chinese control.” He was then escorted out of the building. He was the first Tibetan to apply for a visa in Chicago to represent Tibet at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, on the streets of Chicago, the 500+ walkers gave out hundreds of pieces of literature about Tibet and they were able to interact with very supportive pedestrians. The Chicago police provided an extensive escort for the 1.5-hour walk downtown. It should be noted that the activists filled 4 Chicago city streets!
Upon arrival at China’s Consulate, it was remarkable that the Chicago police had shut down the road to vehicle traffic in front of the Consulate and they had roped off a location for the demonstrators to protest at the Consulate’s doorstep. This was the first time in the history of Tibet demonstrations at the Consulate in Chicago that activists were able to get so close to the building. No one inside the building acknowledged our presence though so windows were opened upon our arrival. This was quite telling since the temperature was over 90 degrees when we arrived!
During the course of the 3-hour demonstration, highly inspiring speeches were given by leaders of the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago, Tibetan Association of Wisconsin, Regional Tibetan Youth Congress-Minnesota, International Tibet Independence Movement, and Students for a Free Tibet.
At the Consulate and in the streets of Chicago, the activists carried banners and signs proclaiming, for instance, “No Olympics Beijing 2008,” “We are Team Tibet,” “One World, One Dream: Free Tibet,” “Independence for Tibet,” “Free The Panchen Lama,” “Free Tenzin Delek Rinpoche,” and “Boycott China’s Goods.” Almost all the activists wore bright yellow shirts or traditional Tibetan dress.
At the conclusion of the demonstration, those gathered recited a long life prayer for His Holiness The Dalai Lama, and they sang the Tibetan National Anthem, the United States National Anthem, and Long Sho.
Following this, the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago hosted an elaborate picnic style lunch at a park on the edge of Lake Michigan. Within 30-minutes of beginning lunch, however, the sky above opened up and a huge rainstorm drenched the activists. The storm continued for more than 45-minutes, but no one seemed to mind. Obviously, it was a small burden to pay given the sacrifices being made by the 14 hunger strikers, the Tibetans inside of Tibet, and the SFT activists arrested in Beijing!
