Battle Cries for a Free Tibet

The Tibetan Freedom Torch touched down in Vancouver Saturday to begin the Canadian leg of its worldwide campaign to raise awareness of human rights abuses in Tibet. By the time the torch returns to Tibet on the eve of the 2008 Beijing Olympics it will have visited fifty cities in nearly forty countries around the world.

Its arrival in Vancouver sparked a protest in front of the Chinese Consulate, the second pro-Tibet rally the city has seen this year.


Red/red/yellow/blue/blue. Police blocked off a northbound lane of Granville Street to make room as protestors spilled off the sidewalks.


“Human rights, free Tibet!”


The protest remained peaceful despite passerbys’ attempts to rile up the crowd.


“Made in China, we won’t buy it!”


The emcee passes a megaphone to the team leader as relay runners prepare for the 10km torch run.


Police and RCMP swarm a mischief-making panel van. The Chinese driver assaulted a protestor and allegedly threatened to drive through the crowd.


A policeman questions witnesses after the run-in.


“Shame on China!”


Protestors pile picket signs into the back of a truck as the protest draws to a close.


The torch — a plastic, air travel-friendly LED design — arrives on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery for a ceremony.

Author

Austin Andrews is a Vancouver-based photojournalist and occasional filmmaker with a penchant for finding the fantastic in the everyday. Contact him at austin [at] disposablewords [dot] net

One comment

  • A small correction – this was actually the 6th (not the 2nd) “pro-Tibet” protest so far in Vancouver in 2008. So far: March 9/10 (Tibetan Uprising day), March15/16 (overnight vigil in response to crack-down in Tibet), March 22 (500 people – in response to crack-down in Tibet), March 31 (Global Day of Action), April 25 (Panchen Lama’s Birthday), May 10 (Freedom Torch). It’s been a busy year so far!!!

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