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| Chinese Embassy in Italy marked with protesting graffiti on August 12, 2013. |
Rome, Italy | August 13, 2013
The Chinese Embassy in Italy becomes the fourth oversea Chinese consulate to be marked by protesting graffiti (拆, chai, meaning demolition, written on houses in China to be demolished, with or without the owner’s consent.)
On August 12th, 2013, around 2 p.m., Initiatives for China correspondence in France, WU Yifei, received a telephone call from someone who claimed that he has marked the Chinese Embassy in Italy. This person presented himself anonymously, as a strong supporter of “Sparrow Initiative,” a movement that calls an end of force eviction in China. Later, this person also sent over photos of him with an anonymous mask with the graffiti.
This has been the fourth Chinese Consulate to be marked, following the first one at Chinese Embassy at Washington, D.C. United States on July 10th, 2013, Chinese Embassy at Ottawa, Canada on July 14, 2013, Chinese Consulate in Sydney, Australia on July 16, 2013.
The word marked is “拆.” It means “demolition,” which is a common term used for forced eviction. The practice of marking “demolition” on those buildings to be demolished are very common in China. Many of these demolished building residence became the victim of force eviction. The character “拆” marked in these embassies clearly expresses the desire for the dismantling of the Chinese Embassy and the deep resentment towards the Chinese Communist regime’s lies and its heavy-handed policy of demolishing people’s homes. This policy of removing people from their land by force for China’s corrupt economic development serves as proof that China’s advancement is by no means peaceful and stable.
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| Chinese Embassy in Sydney, Australia becomes the third embassy marked with force eviction protesting graffiti.The word “强拆” was covered up at the time this photo was taken. However, after gamma-rate corrections, the graffiti painted under can still be seen. July 16, 2013 |
Citizen Power for China, also known as Initiatives for China, has recently launched a campaign, code named the Sparrow Initiative (2nd stage), to defend land rights of the Chinese people and obtain justice for the victims of China’s violent dismantling and forced eviction activities. We believe everyone deserves to have a home, even a sparrow–. Any brutal action in taking that basic right away from the Chinese people is absolutely unacceptable.
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| Chinese Embassy in Ottawa, Canada marked with Graffiti, July 14, 2013 |
Citizen Power for China vows to continue its efforts in promoting and supporting Chinese defenders of land rights and expanding the “Sparrow Initiative” throughout China. We are dedicated to ending the practice of forced eviction and to obtaining fair compensation for the victims of this illegal practice.
The victims of forced eviction who joined Sparrow Initiative movement will continue their demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. for a indefinite time. Interviews, supports and visits are welcomed.
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Chinese Embassy marked graffiti in Washington D.C. July 10th, 2013
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