Bombay: About 20 Tibetans in the city were detained in front of the Prince of Wales Museum at 3.30 pm on May 13, 2001 for demonstrating against the Chinese occupation of Tibet during the visit of a high-powered Chinese delegation to the museum.

About 45 Tibetans comprising workers, women, school children and college students had arrived at the venue with Tibetan flags, placards and headbands which had slogans like 'Free Tibet' and 'Stop genocide in Tibet' written on them. They were apprehended as they shouted slogans and approached the delegation, which comprised a politburo member of the Communist Party of China and eight others.

The team is in the city on a trade-related visit, according to Friends of Tibet (INDIA), a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) which takes up issues related to the Chinese occupation of Tibet. When contacted, the Colaba police station initially refused to give information about the reasons for the detention. Later, a sub-inspector said they were detained under provisions of the Bombay Police Act for raising objectionable slogans.

A handful managed to escape while 20 people were taken to the Colaba police station. The police also cane-charged the approaching protesters. According to Tibetan sources, even Indians like Manipuris and Nagas bearing Mongoloid features were cleared off from the museum on suspicion that they were Tibetans.

Friends of Tibet (INDIA) activists in front of the Museum

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'Li Changchun Demonstration' in Bombay was led by Friends of Tibet (INDIA) on May 13, 2001

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