Chinese Embassy in Slovakia Accused of Plotting Attacks on Protesters

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The Chinese embassy in Slovakia is accused of being responsible for the violent attacks on protesters in the capital city of Bratislava on June 18.

Over 100 protesters gathered in front of the presidential palace on the morning of June 18, waiting for the arrival of  visiting Chinese leader Hu Jintao. At approximately 2:30 p.m., half an hour before Hu’s planned arrival, a crowd started to attack the protesters and ripped or stole  their banners. Attackers pushed two female Falun Gong protesters off high steps from behind, causing serious injuries to one.

Chinese Embassy Plots Attack, Hires Attackers and Threatens Protesters

According to Ji Ailei, head of the Slovakian Chinese Commerce Association, prior to the event the embassy called the Association leaders to the embassy and ordered them to attend the event. Ji said he was pressed to mobilize all Chinese to stop working for two days in order to show up. “We agreed,” Ji said. “We had to, because that was the embassy’s order.”

Another key member of the Commerce Association revealed that the embassy also planned to transport  more than 200 Chinese from Austria. “This is to deal with Falun Gong,” he said. “But don’t tell anyone I said this.” A witness said that the persons who pushed the two ladies off the stairs were from Austria.

Most students in the crowd seemed to be less violent. A student from Austria said that the embassy also told students that the protesters would stage a riot. One Chinese student on the scene told his Slovakian friend that the Chinese embassy ordered them to attend, and threatened that if they refused to do so, they would be sent back to China.

Further investigation indicated that the attackers were overseas Chinese hired by the Chinese embassy to welcome Hu and suppress protesters. Chinese embassy officials were spotted on the site organizing and directing the attacks. The rest of the crowd consisted mostly of students and members of Chinese organizations from both Slovakia and neighboring countries.

Before the event, leaders of the Chinese Commerce Association tried to persuade Falun Gong practitioners to give up the protest. They said that the embassy would not tolerate the practitioners and their protesting banners being seen by Hu. The Association was instructed to cover the protesters’ banners with red flags. “They won’t allow your voices to be heard either,” a leader said to a Falun Gong practitioner. “If you use a loudspeaker we’ll take it by force.”

Nevertheless, Hu still would have had a chance to see the protesters and their banners as some protesters displayed banners by the roadside where Hu’s motorcade was scheduled to pass by, Hu’s motorcade changed plans and chose another route on his way back.

Attack Filmed on Tape by Slovakian Human Rights Center

Su, one of the two ladies pushed off the stairs, was filmed on tape rolling down some 20 steps after a man from the hired welcoming crowd gave her a sudden push from behind. Blood gushed out from wounds in her head and arms. Many local media on site interviewed Su and other protesters and reported the incident within hours. The spokesperson of the Slovakian Human Rights Center, who witnessed the incident, characterized such behavior as “shameless.” “This is the Presidential Palace Square in Slovakia,” she shouted at the attackers. “Not Tiananmen Square!”

Read original article in Chinese.