Torch Relay Protest in Bangkok

It was a small but dedicated group of about 300 protesters (and perhaps as many members of the media) who turned out to protest the Olympic Torch Relay in Bangkok outside the United Nations building.

Before the torch arrived, several small groups of Chinese people came running towards us and gathered in front of the UN building after we had been pushed back by police. There was such a tangible sense of anger coming from them as they yelled “One World, One Dream, One China” and “We love Tibet.” When they sang their national anthem, it sounded like this fiercely nationalistic “in your face” jeer.

After many minutes when the police were obviously nervous about the two sides clashing, the pro-China group was forced to the other side of the boulevard. As we looked across at the Chinese group, it was striking how few police were scattered along their line compared to the solid police line in front of ours.

When the torch finally came, the Chinese were more of a threat to the smooth passing of the relay. They all flooded into the street, surrounding the torch and blocking it almost completely from view. The one Tibetan in the group with tears in his eyes almost jumped the police fence, with others ready to follow. But we remained in our place – much to the surprise of the police and the media – and continued to yell “No Torch in Tibet.”

Throughout the whole event, Chinese people kept walking through our group, yelling things in Chinese that sounded so mean. They made one protester cry with their angry yells of “One China” right in her face. The Chinese government and media have been criticizing pro-Tibet protesters as being violent, but the pro-China people at the torch relay today were much more violent and confrontation in their message than we were.

Many of the pro-Tibet protesters were left feeling angry and frustrated that the Chinese protesters really didn’t understand why we were there. We were not angry at them – although they definitely seemed angry at us. We were merely criticizing their government’s brutal crackdown and policies in Tibet. After dinner of momos amongst new friends, our mood lightened. We all agreed that the whole world is talking about Tibet for yet another day, and so our protest was a success. Our rag tag team raised our glasses and yelled “Bho Rangzen”. Tibet will be Free.