ANSA - Italy-China: Li Lanqing Visits Florence, Protests from Falun Gong

(ANSA) - FLORENCE, ITALY - MAY 25 -

Falun Gong practitioners protest the behaviour of the security people travelling with the Chinese delegation, led by the Vice Premier Li Lanqing, during the delegation's visit to the regional government palace in Florence.

Falun Gong spokespeople reported that several practitioners of the spiritual movement, banned in China since July 1999, have been urged to go away.

A total of thirty Falun Gong practitioners, accompanied by Italian government Representative Massimo Lenzi, gathered today on Cavour Road, on the occasion of the meeting between Li Lanqing and the President of Italy's Tuscany Region, Claudio Martini, at Bastogi Palace.

Local police headquarters had previously authorized the appeal with the sole condition that the group stays at least fifty meters away from Bastogi Palace.

"When the Chinese security people saw us," explains Diego Manca, an Italian press spokesperson for the movement, "They became nervous. They wanted us to go leave Cavour Road. The road has been closed to traffic for two hours, covering the time of the secret meeting."

One of the Chinese security people tried to drive away an Italian reporter who was taking a few pictures. In any case, no problem of public order arose. The group of demonstrators -- whose behaviour was praised by the Italian policemen and guards -- peacefully dispersed when the meeting was finished, some waving [...] Falun Gong banners, as the Chinese delegation's motorcade passed by.

"We have achieved our goal," said Alfredo Fava, an Italian Falun Gong spokesperson. We wanted them to see that we were here, too".

Massimo Lenzi added, "We hope that from now until the next Olympic games that a path will be built for China to open to political freedoms. But this can only happen if all of China's economic partners insist on such direction. I hope that Tuscany's President Martini, in his recent meetings with the Chinese vice Premier, has formally denounced the violation of the human rights in China".

Source:
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/6/6/22832.html