Dear TCB Members, Hu Jintao will shortly be on an official visit to the UK. Please find below information regarding the schedule of his visit in London provided by Free Tibet Campaign followed by a message from Student for Free Tibet UK. TCB would like to request all Tibetans to pass on the information to other fellow Tibetans and Tibet supporters. We must ensure a good crowd for the main demonstration on Tuesday 8th November in front of Buckingham Palace. Please gather at 6:00pm in front of Buckingham Palace and try to bring your Tibetan flag. We will update you if we hear more. Thank you! Tashi Delek, Dickey Dakpa, General Secretary
, Tibetan Community in Britain
Free Tibet Campaign Press:
Dear Supporter,
The following outline information about Hu Jintao's schedule for 8-10
November has been given to us by the Metropolitan Police, and we have
accordingly made applications to hold non-violent demonstrations at a
number of venues during this time.
Please, please try and join us if you can! There will be a very strong pro-Hu Jintao presence, so a strong pro-Tibet presence will be essential in order to attract good media coverage for our issue.
You will see that there are two main days for this visit. There are two confirmed evening events - at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday 8th November and the Guidhall in the City of London on Wednesday 9th - and we urge everyone to come along to those protests. If you are considering taking a day off to join us, then our priority day for protest is Tuesday 8th (the first day) but if you have more time, Wednesday 9th (when President Hu visits Downing Street) is very important too!
Timings given below are subject to change and we will notify you when further information is available.
Notes about protest:
Free Tibet Campaign hopes to avoid a repeat of events in 1999, when police cracked down on peaceful protest. We want public and media attention to be on the issue of Tibet, not on the right to protest. The Metropolitan Police say that they agree. The stated policy of 'Gold' (most senior police officer) for the visit is:
1. Facilitate Lawful Protest.
2. Deal robustly with those who commit crimes.
The Police have further assured us that appropriate legislation will be used, ie Public Order legislation for demonstrations. Although anti-terrorism legislation is in force, this will only be used if there is a legitimate security threat. Supporters are advised not to bring large rucksacks on demos if it can be avoided! Whitehall and Parliament Square
are within an exclusion zone, and a new law has been passed prohibiting use of loud hailers or other amplified noise, without a licence.
Please bring Tibetan flags to all demonstrations . Free Tibet Campaign will provide some banners and placards. If you want to provide your own, our key messages are: Free Tibet!
Hu Jintao: meet the Dalai Lama
Tony Blair: Don't trade away human rights/Tibet
etc
SCHEDULE
(Note: Timings are subject to change. We expect to get more detailed information next week.)
Monday 7 November
?No information is currently available about when President Hu will arrive in the UK. We may receive information which means we organise a demo at a London hotel on Monday night.
Tuesday 8 November
Around Noon -
State Welcome at Horseguards Parade (no public access)
Carriage drive down the Mall with HM The Queen.
Rendez-vous 11.30 outside Canada Gate (the large gates into Green Park near Buckingham Palace, due north of Queen Victoria Memorial). Protestors will then be asked to spread all along the Mall. Banners are preferable to placards for this occasion.
Evening -
State Banquet at Buckingham Palace, hosted by HM The Queen.
Static Demonstration from 6.30pm at Canada Gate (see above)
Wednesday 9 November
Around Noon -
Visit to Downing Street for meetings and lunch with Tony Blair.
Demonstration from 11.30am on Whitehall opposite Downing Street.
Morning or Afternoon (to be confirmed). Visit with HM The Queen to the Royal Academy of Arts on Piccadilly, to see 'The Three Emperors.'
Details of demonstration will be circulated when this event is confirmed.
Evening
Banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor of London at Guildhall, City of London.
Meet corner of Gresham Street and King Street, London EC2, 6.30pm
Thursday 10 November
Possible morning engagements (no information available)
President Hu departs for Germany.
Student for Free Tibet UK:
State visit by Hu Jintao, the president of the Peoples Republic of China, 8-10 November 2005
Hu Jintao will be visiting London on the UK part of his European tour. This is a rare opportunity for you to let your voice be herd to the highest officials in China. This is the first Chinese state visit for six years and comes at a time in which the UK is attempting to strengthen its allegiances with China. The last state visit by Jiang Zemin in 1999 generated the largest amount of support and interest for Tibet that we have seen in recent years.
THIS IS OUR CHANCE, LETS MAKE IT COUNT.
This state visit is more than an opportunity it is the opportunity; it is a moment in history.
What will happen?
A state visit is an official visit by the invitation of the Queen. There is therefore an official protocol by which they have to abide.
Hu Jintao has to attend a public reception in front of Buckingham palace. This reception will be similar to those you may have seen on TV. Hu Jintao and the Queen will meet at Horse Guards Parade and will then proceed down to Buckingham palace in a horse driven carriage past supporters and into the palace.
That evening the queen will host a banquet for Hu Jintao and visiting officials. It is not known yet where this meal will take place.
On the second day Hu Jintao will probably attend meetings and may visit a couple of places in London. When Jiang Zemin visited in 1999 he visited one of the large museums in London. That evening it is thought that the Chinese will hold a dinner for the Queen and UK government ministers.
The third day Hu Jintao will leave for Germany.
We are not sure if Hu Jintao will arrive on the morning of the 8 th for the reception with the Queen or the previous night. He may choose to arrive on the 7 th and stay one night in a hotel but we will not know this until a couple of days before or even on the day.
What can we do?
If you are planning to take a day off from work or study then the best day would be the 8 th , the day he will be received by the Queen. This is the only time that we can predict where he will be. If you intend to be there on this day then please let us know so we can calculate numbers and inform you of any programme changes.
There will be daily protests by Tibetans and Tibet supporters however due to the secrecy of his schedule we cannot predict where and when these demonstrations will take place.
How can you stay informed?
Join the action network.
- Send us your mobile number so you can receive up to the minute information of Hu Jintao?s actions.
- Sign up to the e-mail list to receive campaign information and online actions.
- Check out the blog (like a website) Hu Jintao Free Tibet Now at: www.hujintaofreetibetnow .blogspot.com for photos, action news and requests for support.
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