Hong Kong, Tibetan, and Chinese Groups Rally Against Transnational Repression

TORONTO, Canada — On Oct. 1, protesters from Hong Kong, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese democracy and Falun Gong communities gathered outside the Chinese Consulate in Toronto, using China’s National Day to take a stance against transnational repression and call for accountability over human rights abuses and increasingly brazen attacks by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Canadian soil.

The demonstration opened with “O Canada,” followed by songs associated with participating communities, including the Hong Kong protest anthem “Glory to Hong Kong.” During the rally, protesters held photographs of political prisoners and chanted slogans including, “Free Hong Kong,” “Free Tibet,” while calling for freedom, transparency, and peace.

RELATED: Toronto Attack on Falun Gong Practitioner Draws Calls for Federal Scrutiny

Organizers described Oct. 1, the anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, as a “day of mourning” rather than celebration. Winnie Ng, co-chair of the Toronto Association for Democracy in China, said the date “is not a day of celebration. It’s actually a day of mourning. For us, it’s a day to resist, to organize, and as loud as we can say no to political repression.”

She questioned why authorities in Hong Kong increasingly treat longstanding forms of political expression as threats. “Why has calling for an end to one-party dictatorship become a crime? Why has mourning the victims of the June 4 Tiananmen massacre also become a crime?” she said.

Different communities, shared concerns

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During the event, representatives from several communities addressed what they described as decades of political, religious, and cultural repression. Tenzin Kunsang, president of Students for a Free Tibet Toronto, spoke about Beijing’s policies in Tibet and the removal of Tibetan children into state-run boarding schools, arguing that Tibetan language, religion, and identity are increasingly endangered.

A group participating in the seventh annual Peace Rally Marathon for Tibet also arrived at the consulate after running from Ottawa. “We run for Tibet,” said 19-year-old Jigme Tsering, adding that preserving Tibetan identity and history is a responsibility shared by Tibetans in exile.

Li Yanan, representing the Democratic Party of China’s Canada committee, told the crowd that participants came from different backgrounds but shared a common aspiration: a future without fear. “For freedom! For human rights! For hope! For a better future!” she said, leading the crowd in chants.

Representatives of the East Turkistan community similarly urged Canada and other democratic governments to continue scrutinizing Beijing’s human rights record and protect communities facing intimidation abroad.

September attack looms over rally

The Oct. 1 gathering took place at the same location where two Falun Gong practitioners were confronted by an angry protester on Sept. 22. Video from that incident showed the unidentified man wearing a jacket bearing the Chinese flag tearing down Falun Gong displays, insisting that the sidewalk was “Chinese territory” and making death threats toward practitioners.

One practitioner at the scene, Li Na, said she suffered an injury to her chin during the confrontation and was seen with a bleeding cut on her face following the clash. Toronto police have been investigating the incident. The episode was raised by several speakers at Thursday’s rally as an example of why foreign intimidation has become an increasingly urgent concern.

Chinese Canadian attendee Liu Chong said watching the video initially made her afraid to participate publicly because of possible repercussions. But she said remaining silent would only embolden those responsible. “We still have to bravely stand up,” Liu told Vision Times.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice rooted in the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Despite being peaceful in nature, the CCP launched a brutal campaign to eradicate the practice in July 1999 after seeing its rapid rise in popularity as a threat to its authoritarian regime. Since then, thousands of practitioners have perished at the hands of Chinese police, with many today still undergoing routine monitoring, arbitrary travel bans, and arrests.

Sunny Sonam, president of Students for a Free Tibet Toronto, led demonstrators in chants during the rally. Referring to the Sept. 22 confrontation outside the consulate, he said the attacker appeared intent on showing that he was “not afraid of the Canadian government,” and argued that such conduct, particularly against elderly protesters, was unacceptable in Canada and should be addressed seriously under Canadian law.

Canada’s own intelligence service has warned that the concern extends well beyond individual demonstrations. In a recent assessment, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service described the People’s Republic of China as the most active state conducting foreign interference in Canada “in scale and scope” and said Beijing will “almost certainly continue to engage in acts of transnational repression.”

Billboard truck returns

Rebel News also returned to the consulate with a digital billboard truck displaying footage of the Sept. 22 confrontation. The outlet first brought the truck to the site on Sept. 28 as part of a campaign seeking information about the attacker to demand accountability. On Oct. 1, it again displayed footage alongside messages emphasizing that Chinese Canadians should have the same rights as other Canadians.

“This is not Chinese territory on the sidewalk here. This is Canada, and you are allowed to practice whatever faith, belief system, or religion you want to in this country, and it has to stay that way,” Rebel News reporter Scarlett Grace said.

The broader concern was echoed by Hong Kong participants at the rally. One participant, Dino Chan, said authorities still need to establish whether the Sept. 22 attacker had any connection to the Chinese government. “Whether there was authorization or instruction from the Chinese government is currently unknown. The Canadian government needs to investigate,” he said.

Another Hong Kong participant warned that rights lost gradually can be difficult to recover, saying he did not want “Toronto five or 10 years from now to become the Hong Kong of today.”