By Ben Tsui
A dozen Students for a Free Tibet activists and their supporters held a silent freeze during lunch at a bustling Calgary downtown shopping center to commemorate the March 10th uprising. Bewildered shoppers and educated business onlookers alike politely read the “Your actions can save lives” handouts from the Tibetan youth protesters. This year, university student and organizer Pam Tibet wanted to apply creative popular culture means as a catalyst to tackle the Tibetan cause onto the mainstream society. “We can create more awareness and responses for Tibet through this protest.”
As demonstrator Tsering S. silently stood motionless in her frozen stance, bright yellow flyers began to slip away. An Afro-Canadian lady bended over, picked up the loose papers and gingerly returned them to Tsering’s hand. It was with such a quiet gentle gesture that proved the value of this lunch time endeavor.
Canadian shopper Shannon P. learned a little history lesson about the 60th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising from a flyer off Pam T’s still right palm. “I don’t know anything about this political situation before. I’ll take a look at their “Take Action Now” website when I get home. Demonstration always attracted my attention.”
“I think it was extremely successful. With the amount of human traffic and awareness coverage we got was phenomenal! We were all surprised at the positive reception from all the individuals. We overheard so many friends and strangers explaining to their guests what “Tibet” was and saying what a unique idea this was.” Co-organizer Deyki Dorjee explained. “We did a freeze as a new and innovative way of getting our message across in a non-violent manner. We were inspired with a similar freeze that occurred in Grand Central Station in New York this past year. We thought that this would be more effective than shouting slogans in the cold… since it was very cold today!”
Earlier in the morning, the group spray painted the oversized symbolic student protest “Rock” at the University of Calgary campus.
By the evening’s rush hour, the group further voiced their dismays and joined the local members from the Tibetan Association of Alberta outside the heavily fortressed Chinese consulate. Three lone communist student supporters waved red national flags by the frosty snow banks as the Tibetans chanted slogans toward them. Several Canadian supporters also dropped by to lend their support for the Tibetan community.
Today, the Tibetans in Calgary bravely staged a successful non-violent campaign that was not only creative but also patriotic toward their 50th anniversary struggle for the March 10th uprising!
