Olympic Protest Parks Flush Out Dissidents

The lonely and quiet protest areas in Beijing, designated for the Olympics period, have been challenged again.
Olympic Protest Parks Flush Out Dissidents
(The Epoch Times)
8/17/2008
Updated:
10/1/2015
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 (The Epoch Times)

The lonely and quiet protest areas in Beijing, designated for the Olympics period, have been challenged again. On August 16 Mr. Wang Shixiang posted his application, addressed to the Beijing police, to hold a protest at Zizhuyuan Park.

Wang, an appellant from southeast China’s Anhui Province, chose to send his application by registered post because many applicants had been detained, repatriated, imprisoned, or have even gone missing when they filed applications in person.

Ever since Beijing authorities announced that World Park, Zizhuyuan Park, and Ritan Park were to be the three Olympic protest areas, those areas have been lonely and quiet.

According to Beijing resident, Dan Chuan, when she was in the police bureau applying to protest, she saw dozens of others who were also submitting their applications.

A Beijing human rights activist, who does not want to be named, told The Epoch Times that, over the past seven days, no one has been successful with their applications. Also at least 20 applicants were arrested and repatriated back to their home town and detained. The Epoch Times reporter has at least ten names of applicants, who have either disappeared or been detained.

The Beijing human rights activist also said two appellants named Dan Chun and Li Jingcheng had contacted a Hong Kong journalist who was going to the protest areas every day. They made agreements for the protest next day, but both appellants were arrested in the middle of the night.

Wang Xixiang submitted his application to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau for a public demonstration at Zhizu Gardens. His application is for a four-person demonstration on 20 August at 9am. Him and his associates intend to hand out fliers and chant slogans including “Protesting the Government’s persecution of the people”.

Wang also issued an open warning to officials that if the applicant suffered retribution or was kidnapped, detained or persecuted under fabricated crimes, Beijing officials would face unfavourable consequences and be condemned by the wider society.

Original article in Chinese: http://epochtimes.com/gb/8/8/17/n2231224.htm