Dec 28, 2007 1:46 pm US/Pacific
Protesters To Turn Their Backs On China Float
Protesters Were Not Allowed To March In Front Of The Parade
PASADENA, Calif. (CBS) ―
Human right groups were denied the chance to march one minute in front of the Rose Parade to protest the inclusion of a float honoring the 2008 Olympic Games in China. Protesters now are calling for parade watchers to turn their backs to the float as it passes.
"We are asking all Rose Parade attendees to show their support for human rights in China by turning their backs as it passes by," said Tseten Phanucharas, president of Los Angeles Friends of Tibet.
"We, as a coalition, support this wholeheartedly, and we will be out on the parade route urging everyone to turn their backs."
The float is the first touting China in the Rose Parade's 119-year history. The float is sposnored by Pasadena-based Avery Dennison Corp. and the Roundtable of Southern California Chinese-American Organizations.
The intent was to make a float that would celebrate the 2008 Olympic games, but the Caltech chapter of Falun Gong and other human-rights groups have protested the float's creation because of China's human right violations. Protesters call the float a "propaganda vehicle."
Former Pasadena Mayor Bill Paparian oppses the float's inclusion in the parade and says it will minimize human "atrocities."
"On Jan. 1, in just a few days, many will protest (Mayor Bill) Bogaard's cowardly decision to turn his back on the great people of China and deny solid proof of human rights abuses in China," Paparian said. "This will be done by the simple act of turning their backs to Bogaard's Beijing float of shame."
Bogaard said the call to shun the olympic float should be ignored.
"The float celebrates a great international tradition of competition, discipline and commitment to strong human values," Bogaard said.
"The Tournament of Roses, which now has a history extending over 119 years, is a nonpolitical organization," he said. "The argument that the presence of the float in the parade somehow validates any of the activities of the Chinese government isn't really justified. It celebrates a great competition consistent with the theme of the Rose Parade this year, which is the World's Great Celebrations.
Earlier in the week, city and Tournament of Roses officials said they offered human-rights groups the chance to march along the Colorado Boulevard parade route beginning at 6 a.m., followed by a rally at City Hall.
The groups rejected the deal on Saturday, saying they wanted to send about 100 protesters down Colorado Boulevard beginning at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday -- one minute before the 8 a.m. parade.
"We are disappointed that the organizations discarded these options, and we know they understand completely that handing the parade route over one minute before the parade kicks off to any group is unsafe, unprecedented and unacceptable," Pasadena Councilman Victor Gordo said earlier in the week.
"My sense is that the spirit of the day will be to celebrate the strength and the positive achievements of people, and not to focus on an issue which is a valid question," Bogaard said. "(But,) this isn't the right time and this isn't the right place."
Earlier in the week, city and Tournament of Roses officials said they offered human-rights groups the chance to march along the Colorado Boulevard parade route beginning at 6 a.m., followed by a rally at City Hall. The groups rejected the deal on Saturday, saying they wanted to send about 100 protesters down Colorado Boulevard beginning at 7:59 a.m. Tuesday -- one minute before the 8 a.m. parade. "We are disappointed that the organizations discarded these options, and we know they understand completely that handing the parade route over one minute before the parade kicks off to any group is unsafe, unprecedented and unacceptable," Pasadena Councilman Victor Gordo said earlier in the week."My sense is that the spirit of the day will be to celebrate the strength and the positive achievements of people, and not to focus on an issue which is a valid question," Bogaard said. "(But,) this isn't the right time and this isn't the right place."
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