In a recent event that has drawn international attention, two Tibetan women were detained by French police during a peaceful demonstration in Paris. The incident occurred as Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s convoy passed through the city. This detention has sparked concerns about the impact of foreign influence on freedom of expression in France.
The two women, who were returning home from work, happened upon a crowd waving Chinese flags, eagerly awaiting President Xi‘s arrival. Amidst the gathering, one woman expressed her dissent by writing “FREE TIBET” on her white tote bag and displaying it as the motorcade approached. Despite moving away from the crowd when instructed by the police, she continued to hold up her bag, leading to her detention.
According to footage released by Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), the police detained the women in a dark vehicle until the Chinese delegation had passed. The video captures a tense exchange, with police instructing one of the women to “remain for 10-15 minutes.”
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Later, from a jail cell, one of the detained women shared her 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 incident has reignited discussions about the safety of Tibetans, both in and outside of Tibet, under Chinese rule. Critics argue that the detention illustrates how Western democracies may be compromising fundamental human rights and democratic principles for economic gains.
Social media users and commentators have pointed out the allowance of Xi supporters to demonstrate freely, suggesting that the Tibetan woman’s arrest was solely due to her expression of support for Tibet‘s freedom.
This information was reported by Students for a Free Tibet (SFT), which documented the incident and provided critical commentary on the implications of such actions in a democratic country like France.
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