The Committee For Freedom In Hong Kong (CFHK) protested the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics with images and symbols promoting democracy on New York City’s NBC headquarters Tuesday.
The CFHK presented images of pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, statements in opposition to the Games and yellow umbrellas to symbolize democracy in Hong Kong on the eve of the Games’ opening. The organization also displayed the images on London’s Tower Bridge and the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.
“NBC PROFITS FROM CHINESE OPPRESSION,” a statement shown at NBC headquarters read.
Hey @NBC, we sent you a message at 30 Rock in #NYC. Will @NBCOlympics report on the CCP’s continued crackdown on #HongKongers + #pressfreedom + its appalling #humanrights abuses, or will you just continue silently profiting from Chinese oppression? Cc: @Olympics #FreeHongKong pic.twitter.com/EErqx6YPmT
— Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (@thecfhk) February 1, 2022
“Free Jimmy Lai and the Apple 7,” read an image displayed on the Tower Bridge in London.
A defiant Jimmy Lai pictured on the side of London’s Tower Bridge. Lai will spend the Lunar New Year holiday in a maximum security jail in Hong Kong because he has the courage to fight for democracy. pic.twitter.com/JRmxwq0j6F
— Mark L. Clifford (@MarkLClifford) February 1, 2022
“OVER 10,000 POLITICAL PRISONERS IN HONG KONG,” said a statement on the Chinese Embassy. “#FREEHONGKONG.”
President Xi: We sent you a message in bright lights on your embassy’s walls in #WashingtonDC. We want you to know that the world is watching: It’s time to stop the crackdown on #HongKong & free the 10,000+ arrested on political charges. #FreeHongKong cc:@ChineseEmbinUS @Olympics pic.twitter.com/HEKX2WyJzE
— Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong (@thecfhk) February 1, 2022
The organization protested China’s ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims, who the government has forced into labor camps, assimilated, brutally tortured, and harvested the organs of some in an ethnic cleansing project. The organization said the demonstrations also stood up to the Chinese government’s attempt to overthrow democracy in Hong Kong and the oppression of racial minorities.
NBCUniversal partnered with Chinese state-owned companies to construct a newly developed Universal Beijing Resort, a theme park constructed in China with themed rides of popular children’s films that include Harry Potter and Despicable Me, the Wall Street Journal reported. NBCUniversal owns 30% of the project and the remaining 70% belongs to Chinese companies.
NBCUniversal also owns exclusive broadcasting rights for the Winter Olympics, which China is currently using to strengthen its image on a global scale, the outlet reported. Chris Fenton, a Washington-based trustee at the U.S.-Asia Institute, said the theme park benefits China in bolstering its image.
Mark L. Clifford, president of the CFHK, said the organization will commit to ensuring that China’s “sportswashing” does not become tolerable and to raise awareness of the International Olympic Committee’s silence in a Tuesday statement. (RELATED: China Olympics Are Truly A Mess For The Athletes)
“As a Committee we will not stop campaigning for Hong Kong and for the international community to stand up to China. We must show them that their behavior is seen and will not be tolerated. Sportswashing has become a tool used to distract onlookers from reputations of the foulest and most abhorrent attacks upon humanity, and China has become the latest to use such tool,” Clifford said.
“While many in the international community have been staging their own protests in the lead up to the Games-such as the wearing of ‘Where Is Peng Shuai?’ t-shirts at the Australian Tennis Open-there has been radio silence from the International Olympic Committee. It is shocking that the Olympic organizers are remaining silent on the ongoing human rights abuses that the Chinese Communist Party is committing both at home and abroad.”
Clifford called out “household names” for remaining silent on the abuses overseen by the Chinese government, including Coca-Cola, Visa, AirBnb and Samsung.
The U.S., along with the U.K. and other nations, enacted a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics to stand in condemnation of the abuses at the behest of at least 180 human rights groups. President Joe Biden will not send any officials to attend the Games, however, athletes are still permitted to compete.