United Kingdom: Wen Jiabao Makes a Speech at Cambridge University

On February 2nd, 2009, according to schedule, the premier of China, Wen Jiabao made a speech at Cambridge university. Two hours before Wen Jiabao arrived, the Cambridge University Amnesty International group and those from Cambridge University who pay close attention to human rights in China had already arrived at the speech site, and they held a protest, demanding respect for human rights. Cambridge Falun Gong practitioners were also present, and lifted up banners reading “Deal with Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, Zhou Yongkang according to the Law” and “Falun Dafa is good”.

The weather was very cold, and snow began to fall. Catherine Lough, the chair of Cambridge University Amnesty International accepted an interview. She said, “We have come here to express our voice to improve the human rights in China, we oppose brainwashing by means of labour camps, and the CCP is currently holding 500,000 people in labour camps, and this makes those groups guarding human rights worried. We have joined this protest, to enable Cambridge students to understand that human rights is very important.”

Li Boshi, a Cambridge Falun Gong practitioner, said that Falun Gong practitioners are not here to protest against the visit of Wen Jiabao himself, but are requesting that the chief culprits in persecuting Falun Gong: Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, Zhou Yongkang, be brought to justice, calling on an end to the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.

At approximately ten past three, Wen Jiabao arrived at Cambridge university. Five minutes later, the welcome group of students organised by the Chinese embassy one by one put their red flags in the bin, and there was also someone who shouted: “Waiting for such a long time here in such cold weather, and not even seeing Wen Jiabao, they should subsidize us 100 pounds! They should give us all 100 pounds each!”

Immediately after that, the people from the human rights groups disbanded one after another, only leaving the policemen on duty. Falun Gong practitioners remained for a long while in the wind and snow. In contrast with the white snow, the banners the practitioners were holding reading “Bring to Justice Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Liu Jing, Zhou Yongkang”, and “Falun Dafa is good” were especially eye catching. Falun Gong practitioners only left after Wen Jiabao’s speech had finished and he had left.