By Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, May 7: Two Tibetan women were reportedly detained by the French authorities for several hours during a peaceful demonstration when Chinese President Xi Jinping’s convoy passed through Paris. One of the women was carrying a white tote bag with the slogan “FREE TIBET” inscribed on it.
The two Tibetan women, who were walking home from work, encountered a gathering of people waving Chinese flags in anticipation of Xi Jinping’s arrival. One of the women, upon seeing the crowd, took out a pen and wrote “FREE TIBET” on her bag. As Xi’s motorcade approached, she held up her bag amidst the crowd of Chinese people and flags, standing alone in her protest.
The French police intervened and demanded that she leave the area. She complied by stepping a few meters away but continued to hold the “FREE TIBET” bag. Despite her cooperation, the police detained her and kept her in a dark detention vehicle until Xi Jinping’s motorcade had passed.
The video footage obtained by Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) captured the tense encounter between the Tibetan woman and the French police. In the video, the police can be heard instructing the woman to “remain for 10-15 minutes.” One of the detained women, speaking from a jail cell, expressed their distress, stating, “Everyone, please, now I have been captured. I have been captured. They have put me in some sort of vehicle. I am with my cousin sister, they have captured us both.”
The detention has sparked widespread attention and raised concerns regarding freedom of expression in a free country like France, due to Chinese pressure. Netizens have taken to their social media platforms to voice their opinions regarding Xi Jinping’s arrival in Europe, interpreting it as emblematic of China’s ambition to reshape the global order. They argue that this signals a potential threat to Western democracies, which could face continued undermining.
Moreover, the detention of the two women has reignited concerns about the safety of Tibetans, both within and outside Tibet, from Chinese rule. Some commentators suggest that this incident shows the vulnerability of Western democracies, which appear to be easily swayed by economic opportunities while ignoring fundamental human rights and democratic principles.
